Thiruvananthapuram Flooded After Rain; Mayor's Drainage Defence Sparks Row

Thiruvananthapuram: The city of Thiruvananthapuram was inundated on Saturday following even a modest spell of rain, triggering sharp criticism of the BJP-run Corporation's pre-monsoon cleaning operations. Mayor V V Rajesh has responded to the backlash with an unusual defence, claiming that the floodwater flowing through the city does not originate from drains owned by the Corporation. He argued that the major canals and drains are not directly under Corporation ownership, and that this legally prevents the civic body from laying slabs over them or carrying out repair works — a position widely seen as an attempt to evade accountability.

Residents, however, point the finger squarely at the Corporation's unscientific pre-monsoon cleaning work as the root cause of the crisis. During the cleaning drive, the stone retaining wall of the Amayizhanchan canal near the Pazhavangadi temple was demolished and a JCB deployed to dredge silt. Despite repeated complaints, the Corporation failed to rebuild the demolished wall for over a month. When Saturday's rains arrived, sewage and sludge poured through the breach onto the adjoining land in large quantities — the first time in recorded history that such an overflow has occurred in the Pazhavangadi area. The slush and waste that had earlier been excavated and left along the canal's edge spread across the surroundings, filling the heart of the city — including Chalai — with a foul stench.

Sewage flooded the Pazhavangadi temple precincts, Takaraparambu, Ramachandra Lane, and the Kizhakkekotta bus stand, leaving street vendors and commuters in acute distress. Several homes and commercial establishments in the area suffered significant damage as the foul water rushed in. Compounding the problem, drain covers removed by the Corporation last month for cleaning work have not been reinstalled. With water levels rising across the city, these open drain sections are now invisible beneath the flood, posing serious danger to both pedestrians and vehicles.

Residents and traders staged protests against the civic body's negligence. The CPI(M) issued a statement demanding an end to the Corporation's apathy and an immediate resolution to the hardships faced by the public.