THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Five months after the grand inauguration of the restored Chilakkur Tunnel and Phase I of the Akkulam-Chettuva Inland Waterway, the government’s flagship waterway project remains stranded, with the much-publicised boat ride through the historic tunnel yet to become a reality.
The tunnel, reopened in February with promises of a heritage tourism experience featuring electric boat rides and a projection-mapped light-and-sound show, continues to remain out of bounds for visitors as authorities grapple with persistent geotechnical challenges around the tunnel approaches.
Recurring landslip threats near the Chilakkur and Sivagiri tunnels has forced the Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation Department and Kerala Waterways and Infrastructure Ltd (KWIL) to inordinately suspend tourism activities in the tunnel.
“We cannot proceed with work in the vulnerable stretches near the Chilakkur and Sivagiri tunnels because these are landslip-prone areas. There is a possibility of fresh slides at any time,” said a senior official associated with the project.
According to sources, the department is examining a proposal to construct tunnel-like covered protective structures extending roughly 500m on either side of the vulnerable areas to avoid future landslips and a safe passage for tourists.
“Our assessment is that the tunnel has to be extended with a covered structure. If we simply remove the fallen earth, it will continue to collapse repeatedly. We need to come up with a sustainable solution.”
According to officials, the nature of the soil surrounding the tunnel and its embankments is fragile. “The soil has adequate bearing capacity to support a structure, but it lacks cohesion. The issue is not whether we can build there; it is ensuring that the surrounding slopes remain stable over the long term,” the official said.
Detailed borehole investigations and soil studies are currently under way to finalise the engineering solution, said the official. “After the studies we will come up with proposals. Also, the government needs to decide whether the protective structure follows the existing tunnel dimensions or adopts wider National Waterway standards,” added the official.
The Chilakkur Tunnel was projected as the centrepiece of Kerala’s inland water tourism revival when the-then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the first phase of the Akkulam-Chettuva Waterway in February just before the assembly elections.
Proposal to construct protective structures
Sources said the department is examining a proposal to construct tunnel-like protective structures extending roughly 500m on either side of the vulnerable areas to avoid future landslips