Kochi's Vyttila, Kaloor Air Pollution Monitoring Stations Remain Non-Functional

An agency has been shortlisted to operate and maintain the Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS) at Vyttila and Kaloor, while discussions are under way to finalise the terms and conditions of the contract, officials of the Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) said.

“We plan to complete the proceedings soon and award the contract to the agency,” the officials said.

The development comes as obtaining real-time air pollution data in Kochi city remains a challenge for the KSPCB because the stations at Vyttila and Kaloor are non-functional.

Maintenance contract remains unresolved

The annual contract for the operation and maintenance of the CAAQMS and display systems at Vyttila and Kaloor expired on October 22, 2023.

According to officials, the renewal agreement was not accepted because the contractor had allegedly quoted a higher rate.

A technical committee meeting held on March 4, 2024, decided to invite fresh tenders for the annual maintenance contract of the CAAQMS at Vyttila and Kaloor, along with similar stations in other districts.

The tender notice was published on July 28, 2025, and the last date for submitting bids was August 27, 2025.

However, the board issued a re-tender notice on January 1, 2026, for awarding the comprehensive annual maintenance contract for the CAAQMS and display systems at four stations.

The stations listed in the re-tender were Vyttila, Kaloor, Eloor and Palayam in Kozhikode.

Eloor station is functional

The third station in Kochi, located at Eloor, is functional, although its annual maintenance contract had expired a year ago.

The process of finalising the operation and maintenance agreement for the Eloor CAAQMS has also been initiated, the officials said.

In the absence of a continuous real-time monitoring facility, manual testing of air pollution levels is being carried out, according to the officials.

“We are carrying out manual testing at areas including Vyttila and Irumpanam,” they said.

The Kaloor station is located at the Stadium Metro station.

It had earlier been installed at Seematti, Kacheripady, but was switched off on November 19, 2022, for relocation.

Both the Vyttila and Kaloor stations currently have power connections and power backup facilities, according to the source.

Source: The Hindu