Posted on April 27, 2026
The rejuvenation of the Kallayi river is progressing steadily, with around 45% of the desilting work completed so far.
Irrigation department officials said that the work was underway around the clock and the department expects the entire project to be completed by the end of May. If the work is not completed by then, it cannot continue once the monsoon begins.
The project involves removing silt to a depth of 2.7 metres along a 4.2-kilometre stretch from Kothi to Kaduppini in Mankavu. Of the 3.29 lakh cubic metres of silt expected to be removed, 70% has accumulated in and around the Kothi estuary. The dredged silt is being deposited in the sea up to five kilometres away. The work is being carried out at a cost of ₹12.98 crore allocated by the Kozhikode Corporation.
Last month, a team led by Mayor O. Sadasivan visited the site to assess the progress of the project. Fishermen have demanded that desilting be carried out over a wider stretch near the Kothi estuary. At present, desilting is being carried out over a width of 90 metres at the estuary. However, the river has a width of up to 120 metres in some stretches.
Fishermen said the work would be effective only if desilting was carried out in areas where boats were usually anchored as well. Though the civic body has assured that it will address the matter, Irrigation department officials said that the Corporation had not yet issued a formal letter in this regard.
Although the project was inaugurated on October 22, 2024, the actual work began only on February 27, 2025, after the survey was completed. The work was later halted during the monsoon season and resumed in October. West Coast Dredging Company is carrying out the desilting work using dredgers, excavators and barges.
The silt accumulation in the river has disrupted its natural flow, which has, in turn, affected the Conolly canal that drains into it. The river was recently deemed the most polluted in the State, with its waters blackened by industrial effluents and decaying garbage. The silt buildup is particularly noticeable during low tides.
