Landscape

SPONGE COLLABORATIVE + WEAVING WITH WATER Team

MULLASSERY CANAL FRAMEWORK AND CANAL EDGE MASTERPLAN

Landscape

1. Canal Bed Naturalising : The canal bed was concretised for a depth of 2.5m, causing water logging and reducing the carrying capacity. Breaking the canal bed and naturalising it will increase the carrying capacity, and improve the biodiversity and the health of the canal. This is proposed throughout the canal stretch as part of Operation Breakthrough. 2. Canal Daylighting : The canal is covered by concrete slabs for more than half the length This reduces the visibility of the water body and prevents people from interacting with it. Daylighting the canal will increase oxygen penetration, reduce the dense growth of phytoplanktons that currently coat the canal, and enable visual and physical access. The stretch from MG Road to TD Road is proposed to be opened up. 3. Canal Deepening and Widening : The canal floods often, disrupting life and causing damage to infrastructure. By widening the canal and deepening it, we are increasing the infiltration and carrying capacity to mitigate flooding in the future. A natural edge will also allow the settlements to leverage the flooding and improve biodiversity. This is presented along the KMC Waste Management site. 4. Living coast : The coast of Kochi currently has a hard seawall. Here, Unnatural siltation affects the water movement into and from the canal and the coastal edge ecosystem is lost. There is also regular damage as a result of ocean wave swelling. By softening the edge, the living shoreline can tackle coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and nurture an ecosystem which needs less maintenance. Breakwaters with rocks and local coir are proposed to effectively reduce the force of the water before reaching the shoreline, thus reducing the impact of erosion. This will be effective along the entire Marine Drive stretch.

Figure 56: Concept for canal edge rejuvenation along Priyadarshini Park (Image Credit: Weaving with Water team)