Kerala - Kochi   

Project to revitalise Thanneerchal

KOCHI: Thiruvankulam Grama Panchayat and BPCL-Kochi Refinery Limited have drawn up a project to revitalise the large water resource called Thanneerchal, located in the middle of the panchayat.

With the Kochi Refinery pumping in Rs. 1 crore for the project and the Panchayat giving Rs. 30 lakh for the first phase of development of the Thanneerchal Development Project, FACT Engineering and Design Organisation (FEDO) has been given the charge to execute the project. Explaining the project that would cost a total of Rs. 3.5 crore, E. V. Thankappan, president of the panchayat, said that six of the 13 rivulets around the 10.5 acre lake will be preserved and bridges will be built over it after the lake is cleaned, dredged and is provided a granite embankment. This will act as the main water reservoir of the area during the monsoon.

The panchayat had bought the 1.62 acres of land lying around the lake and plans to develop the surroundings with walkways and gardens and proper lighting in the next phase of the development. Since the lake is separated from the Hill Palace Museum by about 500 metres, the panchayat will be looking for an inflow of visitors from Hill Palace to the lake. The lure of the water body is likely to result in tourist inflows to the place, he said. A boating facility will also be arranged on the lake.

FEDO, the consultants for the project has done the detailed study and will be supervising and evaluating the project. It has already started preparations to tender the project. The entire project will be completed in 10 months, said the Panchayat secretary, Thomas Rajan.

M. V. Murali, vice-president of the panchayat; Chandran Kunnapilly, panchayat member; Basil Benjamin, chief manager of BPCL-KRL; Jose T. K., FEDO chief manager (projects) and other officials participated.

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