Chennai, Oct 11 (IANS): The replacement work of the collapsed centre shutter of Parambikulam dam - located in Kerala but maintained by the Tamil Nadu government - began on Tuesday, officials said.

After the shutter collapsed on September 21, the Tamil Nadu authorities conducted inspection of the dam but could not commence work due to heavy water flow in it. When the water level came down from the full reservoir level of 72 feet to 45.06 feet on Monday, the PWD authorities decided to commence the replacement work on Tuesday.

According to a senior official, the water flow on Monday was 35 cusecs while on September 21 immediately after the shutter collapsed, the water flow was 20,000 cusecs.

The Tamil Nadu government has allocated an amount of Rs 7.2 crore for installing a new steel shutter and 35 tonnes of counterweight.

The water from the Parambikkulam dam is irrigating farmland in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore and Tirupur districts as well as agricultural land in Kerala's Palakkad district.

After the shutter was damaged last month, Kerala Police and authorities asked people to be on alert and some families were removed to rehabilitation camps.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu Water Works department told IANS that the complete work will take a maximum of one month.