KMC to link three canals to Chorial Khal; to cost ‘about Rs 11.46 crore’

Kolkata: To rid low-lying areas of flooding, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will be connecting three canals to the main Chorial Khal (canal) for the ultimate discharge of stormwater into the Hooghly River.

The three canals that are to be linked with Chorial Khal are Sonamukhi Khal, Babur Bagan Khal and Bigha Khal.

According to KMC, one of the objectives of linking Sonamukhi Khal is to create an environment-friendly atmosphere surrounding the canal by creating a green built area, sponge pathway etc which would reduce the runoff of stormwater and accumulated water into the canal.

Further, low-lying areas are predominant within the project area. Due to this, catchment areas frequently experience flooding as well as water logging during rain.

Hence, a system is to be developed by implementing water carrying capacity for discharging water ultimately into the Hooghly River through Chorial Khal. The project will be executed at an approximate cost of Rs 14.13 crore, it was learnt. Similar is the reason for linking the Babur Bagan Khal to Chorial Khal. It is required to mitigate the waterlogging problem of the surrounding localities by minimizing the stagnation of water during monsoon. The work is to be executed at a cost of Rs 5.79 crore. The cost of linking 22 Bigha Khal to Chorial Khal will be executed at a cost of Rs 11.46 crore.

The fund for all three of the linking projects will be disbursed from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund for KMC. The member mayor-in-council, Drainage department, Tarak Singh is learnt to have told the media that the civic body will also restore the canals which have been encroached upon or filled up with random dumping of waste. About 13 canals in areas of Thakurpukur, Behala and Joka will be undergoing restoration work from early next month.