KMC gets Centre's nod for dredging Tolly's Nullah

Kolkata: The Centre has given clearance to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to carry out dredging operation at Tolly's Nullah, Mayor Firhad Hakim said on Wednesday.

The clearance has been given under the Namami Gange project. He said the KMC had been dealing with the Centre regarding the issue for the past four years, as the Centre was sitting on the file. As they finally have clearance, KMC will float a tender and take up the work immediately.

Tolly's Nullah was set up by the British and was connected with the Bay of Bengal many years ago. There were regular ferry services on the canal. But over the years, due to the lack of dredging operation, the canal got choked and ferry services were suspended. Constructions have since come up in Garia and as a result, the canal has lost its navigability.

Tolly's Nullah has connection with river Hooghly and earlier there were high tides and low tides on the canal. Today, there are stretches on the canal where people dispose of garbage and carcasses.

It may be recalled that during the Left Front regime, a private firm had proposed to introduce ferry services both at Tolly's Nullah and Bagjola canal. But the government did not accept the proposal.

According to the plan of KMC, the banks of Tolly's Nullah will be beautified and the ferry ghats will be upgraded.