Metroman Sreedharan's Safety Proposals for Mullaperiyar Dam

E Sreedharan, known as 'Metroman,' suggests building counterfort retaining walls and a tunnel with smaller reservoirs to enhance the safety of Mullaperiyar dam, potentially extending its lifespan by 50 years. He argues against constructing a new dam due to time and cost constraints.

E Sreedharan, affectionately dubbed 'Metroman,' provided key recommendations on Wednesday to bolster the safety of the Mullaperiyar dam, located in Idukki's high-range district. He proposed the construction of 'counterfort retaining walls' every 120 meters, aiming to extend the dam's lifespan by 50 years.

Speaking at an event, Sreedharan dismissed the necessity for a new dam, suggesting instead a tunnel from the reservoir to Tamil Nadu, complemented by smaller reservoirs to manage water storage. 'If we implement these two measures, the dam's safety is assured for another 50 years, fulfilling Tamil Nadu's water needs,' he stated, emphasizing the economic and temporal efficiency of his plan.

Sreedharan openly admitted to his limited prior knowledge of the dam, relying on Wikipedia to gather vital information. His statements come amidst heightened safety concerns recently voiced by Congress MP Dean Kuriakose, who called for the dam's decommissioning. However, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured that there are no safety issues, while Tamil Nadu maintains that the structure remains 'absolutely safe.'

(With inputs from agencies.)