THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala’s ambitious inland navigation project is edging closer to reality, with the Akkulam-Chettuva stretch of the National Waterway set to open soon. The nearly 250km link, part of the Kovalam-Bekal West Coast Canal (WCC) project, will be commissioned in December, offering a new lifeline for transport, tourism and cargo movement.
According to sources, the chief minister is expected to dedicate the section from Akkulam, in Thiruvananthapuram to Chettuva, in Thrissur in a ceremony proposed to be held in the 330m tunnel at Chilakkoor in Varkala. A Rs 3 crore electric boat is being manufactured for the commissioning.
Expected to pave the way for new economic and tourism opportunities, the work is being implemented jointly by the Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation (CSIN) department and Kerala Waterways Infrastructure Ltd (KWIL) — a special-purpose vehicle of Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) and the state government.
“CIAL’s CSR fund is bankrolling the design and manufacture of the boat meant for commissioning the project. A high-quality projector will be installed in the 20-seater boat, which will cost around `3 crore. The tunnel will host the official commissioning,” a KWIL official said.
KWIL carried out beautification of the Arivalam-Thottilpalam area for Rs 24 crore. “The seven-minute journey through Varkala tunnel will feature a light-and-sound infotainment show. It will deal with the history of Travancore and Sree Narayana Guru’s legacy,” the official added.
594 families relocated to facilitate project
The project, which has seen accelerated progress since 2021, had to overcome major hurdles linked to land acquisition and rehabilitation. A major bottleneck was Varkala. To address the issue, the tunnel is being made navigable by dredging. An official with the CSIN department said work is actively progressing in several key sections and 95% of the rehabilitation has been completed in Varkala area.
“The project is not just about transportation but also about creating new economic opportunities. An economic development opportunity study has been completed, and multiple schemes are in the pipeline. We have identified large land parcels along the waterway for development under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. The first step is to commission the stretch and rest of the development will follow,” the official told TNIE.
Around 400 families were relocated in the Varkala area and 194 families relocated from Kadinamkulam to facilitate the project. “Dredging work is progressing well and we hope to complete the activity by the end of next month or by November 15,” the official added.
Once the project is commissioned, the water transport department will explore the possibility of operating transport vehicles. The department will also resume transport boat services on the Kollam-Alappuzha stretch, which has been on hold for some time.
Cost to Coast
The 590km West Coast Canal (WCC) connects Kovalam in the south to Neeleswaram in the north. It traverses through 11 districts of Kerala
The waterway from Kovalam to Bekal in Kasaragod is proposed to be developed at a width of 40m and a draft of 2.20m to enable large-scale movement of cargo
Nearly 250km of the WCC -- part of National Waterway -- from Akkulam to Chettuva likely to be commissioned in December. Around Rs 300 crore has been spent to make the stretch navigable
Phase II of the project, focused on land acquisition and rehabilitation, is underway
Kiifb has sanctioned an additional Rs 247.3 crore to rehabilitate 1,275 families residing on the banks of the Kovalam-Varkala stretch