Konthuruthy river restoration: Kochi Corporation hands aid to 80 families

Kochi Corporation aids 80 families with ₹14 lakh each for Konthuruthy river restoration, ensuring compliance with Kerala High Court directives.

The Kochi Corporation has disbursed financial assistance of ₹14 lakh each to 80 of the 126 families slated for eviction from the Konthuruthy river puramboke, in compliance with a Kerala High Court directive.

The assistance, part of the rehabilitation package, was transferred directly to the bank accounts of beneficiary families who submitted documents in accordance with government norms. The process was initiated under the supervision of Mayor V.K. Minimol, deputy mayor Deepak Joy, Corporation secretary P.S. Shibu, and senior officials. Beneficiaries who received the amount voluntarily handed over their buildings to the Corporation. The Engineering department formally took possession of the structures and handed them over to zonal officers for demolition.

Steps have also been taken to resolve discrepancies in the bank records of eight families, with the amount to be transferred to their accounts on Monday (April 9, 2026). The Mayor said all but 20 families had cooperated with the Corporation. The affected families have been given time until April 13 to submit documents since proceedings have to be completed and a report submitted to the High Court by April 16.

The rehabilitation package, which provides ₹14 lakh to each family, amounts to ₹17.64 crore. Of this, the Corporation is bearing the lion’s share, allocating ₹11.83 crore from its Plan fund and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana–Urban, along with ₹4.54 crore from its own resources, totalling ₹16.38 crore. The remaining ₹1.26 crore will be provided under the government’s LIFE Mission.

Unlike the usual ₹9.25 lakh assistance under housing schemes, the Corporation opted to provide ₹14 lakh per family. To avoid delays, it sought and obtained special government approval to disburse the amount in a single tranche rather than in phases. Permission was also secured to purchase land outside the Corporation limits, ensuring improved living conditions for families displaced by the Konthuruthy river restoration. The Mayor thanked the beneficiaries and the action council for their cooperation in the river restoration effort.