The Irrigation Department is set to resume dredging operations in the Korapuzha River following halt due to widespread protests in February 2026. Residents and political groups had raised concerns about illegal sand extraction disguised as dredging,prompting authorities to pause the project. A meeting led by District Collector M.S . Madhavikutty included local MLAs Vidya Balakrishnan and K . Praveen Kumar, along with other officials, to address these issues.
In response to the protests,Balakrishnan assured that the dredging would continue only after engaging with the community to ensure their concerns were addressed . project will recommence from Korapuzha railway bridge, focusing initially on a 1-kilometer stretch to remove accumulated silt and sediment. Dredging in the estuary area will follow at a later date.
Initiated in 2022, the dredging project aims to clear approximately 200,000 cubic meters of silt to restore the river's flow into the sea. The blockage has not only impeded fishing boat movement but has also contributed to flooding in adjacent areas . The dredging will reach depths of 3.5 meters below sea level, spanning a width of 100 to 140 meters along a 1,600-meter stretch east of the estuary.
