Residents in Puthukkad fear the proposed 1.38-km earth-filled flyover on NH 544 will block rainwater and cause severe flooding. The Puthukkad Melpalam Janakeeya Samithi wants pillars instead of earth embankments. Seby Kodiyan said, "A long earth embankment could become a physical barrier to the natural flow of floodwater."
The proposed Puthukkad flyover on National Highway (NH) 544 in Keralam's Thrissur has triggered serious environmental and flood-related concerns, with residents warning that the proposed 1.38-km earth-filled approach could turn the highway into a massive barrier to the natural flow of rainwater and aggravate flooding in the low-lying town and adjacent panchayats.
The Puthukkad Melpalam Janakeeya Samithi has demanded that the proposed flyover and its approach roads be constructed on pillars, instead of raising a long stretch of the highway with earth.
Natural drainage
According to the project proposal, only about 70 metres at the Puthukkad Signal Junction would remain open at ground level, while nearly 1,380 metres would be built on an earth-filled embankment, points out the Samithi. It argues that such a structure could obstruct natural drainage between the low-lying areas on either side of the highway.
"Puthukkad is located in a geographically sensitive area where water movement cannot be treated as a secondary consideration. A long earth embankment could become a physical barrier to the natural flow of floodwater," said Seby Kodiyan, chairperson of the Samithi.
The concern assumes significance against the backdrop of the region's history of waterlogging during periods of intense rainfall.
K. K. Aneesh Kumar of the Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad (KSSP) has pointed to the flooding in Puthukkad during the 2018 and 2019 deluges and instances of waterlogging reported during heavy rain in subsequent years. When the Peechi dam was opened without warning in 2024, Amballur and Puthukkad bore the brunt of floods, he said.
How will the water flowing down from the eastern hills and low-lying areas make its way westward after being obstructed by the Amballur and Puthukkad flyovers, built in close proximity to each other? This is the question raised by the KSSP activists, who conducted a study of the region.
"The ecological implications of altering the existing drainage pattern needs to be studied comprehensively before the project design is finalised. The area is situated between the Manali and Kurumali rivers" said Mr. Aneesh Kumar. He stressed the need to examine the catchment, natural waterways, low-lying areas and the cumulative impact of the infrastructure on water flow.
Independent assessment
The Samithi has demanded an independent hydrological and flood-impact assessment, covering rainfall intensity, historical flooding, catchment characteristics, existing drainage channels and the likely consequences of the proposed embankment.
It has also sought adequate cross-drainage structures and culverts based on a comprehensive assessment rather than treating them as additional components after the embankment is designed.
"There should be no decision that compromises the natural drainage system of Puthukkad. A scientific hydrological and flood-impact assessment should precede any construction that could alter the existing water-flow pattern," said Jaison K.L., convener of the Samithi.
The Samithi argues that an elevated, pillar-supported structure would minimise obstruction at ground level and allow stormwater to move through the area while retaining existing drainage pathways.
For Puthukkad residents, the issue is therefore not merely the design of a flyover but the future of a town already struggling with the consequences of changing rainfall patterns and inadequate drainage.
"We are not opposed to the flyover. Our demand is that it should be built in a manner that does not create a new environmental problem while solving a traffic problem," Mr. Kodiyan said.