The Kochi city corporation has successfully completed the eviction of residents from the banks of the Konthuruthy river. According to corporation officials, 16 families that had previously approached the Kerala High Court seeking enhanced compensation have withdrawn their legal case and agreed to the corporation's offer of Rs 14 lakh per family.
Eviction and Demolition Completed
The demolition of all houses along the river has been finished, and the debris has been relocated to the solid waste treatment plant premises at Brahmapuram. The corporation has distributed the first instalment of compensation to the residents who consented to move. Out of 126 families, all except these 16 had earlier informed the corporation of their willingness to relocate upon receiving the compensation amount. The local body had handed over the initial compensation payment to those families in April.
Deputy Mayor Deepak Joy confirmed that the families who had sought higher compensation through the court have now withdrawn their case and accepted the corporation's offer. He stated, "Now, those families who moved the court demanding higher compensation too have agreed to accept our compensation offer of Rs 14 lakh. They withdrew the case demanding higher compensation. We will soon disburse the compensation to those families too."
River Widening to Begin
With the demolition complete, authorities can now proceed with widening the river. The Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML) has been entrusted with the task of restoring the river to its original width. The river's width had reduced from 48 metres to just three or four metres due to encroachment over the years. This narrowing had caused severe waterlogging in nearby areas such as Mattummel, Konthuruthy, Thevara, and Ravipuram during the monsoon season.
Although the issue persisted for decades, the corporation began serious rehabilitation efforts only after the Kerala High Court issued strict orders in 2020. The project aims to restore the river's capacity to prevent flooding and improve drainage in the region.
