Wilson, owner of a sweetmeat shop located at Corporation Bazar in Kochi's Broadway, is still shocked that his shop got flooded for the first time in 35 years. The heavy rains which lashed Kochi on Monday had flooded his small shop, which is situated at the ground floor of the Corporation Bazar building, up to three feet, damaging sweets worth almost one lakh rupees. Though the water subsided by Tuesday morning, the traders in the area are agitated as no official help was allegedly offered to them.
Like Wilson's outlet, about 30 shops in the ground floor of the Corporation Bazar building were inundated. Though the heavy rains only lasted for a few hours, the water had flooded the majority of the city, including arterial roads, Kaloor substation of Kerala State Electricity Board, Kerala RTC bus stand and even the railway tracks of Ernakulam junction railway station.
Though waters receded by Tuesday morning and the roads were made pliable by the quick action of the district administration, the worst hit are the small-scale traders in Broadway and Kerala RTC bus station who lost a major chunk of their stock.
KSRTC stand
"This is the first time in my 35 years that I am experiencing something like this. Though water used to stagnate during heavy, incessant rains earlier, shops had never been inundated. What happened now is solely because of the improper management of drains," claims Wilson.
Traders allege that Kochi Corporation, the local body, had not completed the cleaning of drains. "If the drains had been cleaned properly, the water would have easily flowed away from here. That was not done and we are experiencing the wrath of the rains. Who is going to be accountable for the losses?" asks Wilson.
Notably, the shops at Corporation Bazar which were inundated, are situated in the building owned by Kochi Corporation.
"If there is any delay in giving rent, these people will charge a fine, but now, there is nobody with us when we need help. No official has even come and enquired about the damages incurred by us," says Mohan, who runs a fancy shop.
Damaged sweets from a shop
With rains inundating the bus station of Kerala RTC, about seven shops inside the building complex were completely affected. Though waters receded in other areas of the city, the bus station complex is still inundated. "With authorities not taking the initiative to clear the stagnated water, shopkeepers here have lost business since Monday. We don't think anyone will come to our aid. We have to clear the area by spending money from our pockets even though we are broke," says Shameem, one of the shop owners.
Operation Breakthrough
With the city experiencing a situation similar to flash floods on Monday, the district administration under the direction of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had kickstarted 'Operation Breakthrough' to relieve it from the massive inundation. About 2,800 people including officials of various departments worked for about four hours on Tuesday early morning to decongest the blocked drains.
District Collector S Suhas under special provisions collaborated with officials from various local self government departments, Public Works department, Kochi Corporation, Fire and Rescue and city police.
Though the operation has been helpful and brought back normalcy to public life in Kochi, the affected small traders feel left out with no one coming to their aid.