Resumption of dredging in Korapuzha River

Irrigation department to resume dredging work in Korapuzha river.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by District Collector MS Madhavikutty and attended by MLAs Vidya Balakrishnan, K. Praveen Kumar and other officials.

The dredging work was halted following mass protests in February 2026. Residents and political parties alleged that sand was being mined illegally under the pretext of dredging to remove accumulated silt and sediment from the Korapuzha River.

Ms. Balakrishnan said work would resume after gaining the confidence of protesters and residents. The meeting decided that the work will be resumed from the Korapuzha side of the railway bridge. At the beginning, mud and sediment would be removed from the initial 1 km section. Dredging along the Korapuzha estuary will resume later.

The dredging work, carried out under the auspices of the Irrigation Department, covers the stretch between the mouth of the Korapuzha River and the Korapuzha Railway Bridge. The project, which started in 2022, aims to remove about two million cubic meters of silt and sediment to ensure a smooth flow of water into the sea. Accumulation of mud and sand impeded the movement of fishing boats and caused flooding in nearby areas by reducing the flow of the river.

Dredging is carried out to a depth of 3.5 meters below sea level, in a width of 100 to 140 meters, in a section 1600 meters east of the mouth.

Published – 14 Jun 2026 19:21 IST