As the imminence of heavy rainfall season necessitating urgent precautionary activities, Cochin International Airport Limited rolled out ‘Operation Pravaah’, a multifaceted infrastructure programme scoping to integrate flood mitigation projects already initiated by CIAL with that of District Administration and various Local Self Governments at one platform. CIAL Managing Director S Suhas IAS announced the programme while attending a review meeting held at Kochi Airport today. He visited the construction site and reviewed the progress of work along with CIAL Engineers. 

 Being one of the busiest airports in the country which handles around 10 million passengers a year, the last two flood seasons in Kerala had traumatized the prospects of both the airport operator and passenger community. CIAL is spending around Rs. 130 Cr for the comprehensive flood mitigation activities. The renovation work of the diversion canal, constructed for altering the course of the floodwater outside the southern side of the peripheral wall of the operational area had been divided into five reaches. As the Covid outbreak has been dampening the progress of the completion of the projects, a special review meeting was convened as per the instruction of the Chief Minister. CIAL Managing Director S.Suhas, who is also the District Collector chaired the meeting and a decision was taken to integrate the flood mitigation activities of CIAL with the ongoing projects initiated by District administration and local self-Governments. 

  The integrated approach of flood mitigation projects is christened as ‘ Operation Pravaah’ and it is envisaged that the completion of present activities taking place at three reaches of the diversion canal on a war-foot basis will address the issue of flooding of operational areas and the adjacent villages to a great extent. This will be done as phase 1 of Operation Pravaah and will be completed in the last week of July. Phase -2 incorporates major construction activities including the construction of a regulator-cum-bridge (RCB) on the mouth of the Chengal Canal for Rs. 20.40 Cr. As part of the flood mitigation project, a pumping system will be operating by integrating north and south drains of the operational area of the airport. 

 During his visit to the diversion canal site, S.Suhas has instructed CIAL Engineers to augment the project implementation capacity to the fullest so that Operation Pravaah phase-1 can achieve its goal.