Fri Jan 10 18:40:41 UTC 2025: ## Kozhikode’s Kallai River Dredging to Begin Soon
**Kozhikode, January 11, 2025** – The long-delayed dredging of the heavily silted Kallai River in Kozhikode is set to begin by the end of January. A recent survey by the Irrigation department revealed 3.29 lakh cubic meters of silt and garbage requiring removal from a 4.2 kilometer stretch of the river.
The survey, which took two-and-a-half months due to complications from two major floods since 2018, has concluded and a report will be submitted to the Chief Technical Inspector by January 20th. The project, costing ₹12.98 crores, will be undertaken by West Coast Dredging Company. The dredged silt will be deposited five kilometers offshore.
The project aims to restore the river’s natural flow, which has been severely hampered by silt accumulation, impacting the Conolly Canal. The Kallai River was recently declared the most polluted in the state, due to industrial effluents and garbage. The dredging, targeting a depth of 2.7 meters from Kaduppini in Mankavu to the river mouth in Kothi, has faced years of delays due to insufficient bidder interest in the initial tender process. The visible silt buildup, particularly during low tides, underscores the urgency of the project.
First Piper 