KOCHI: Raising hopes of a return of popular carnival events to the Fort Kochi beach, IIT Madras has handed over to the tourism department a report on sea erosion issues there. The IIT was called in to study the phenomenon and offer suggestions to prevent it after the walkway near the beach collapsed four years ago.
Conducted by the IIT’s Department of Ocean Engineering, the study dealt with beach reclamation and reconstruction, and protection of the walkway at Fort Kochi. An IIT team had visited the area last year.
“We received the IIT report last week regarding the work required at Fort Kochi, including the setting up of a seawall at the beach and near the estuary,” said Biju Varghese, Ernakulam deputy director, Kerala Tourism.
“We have handed over a copy of the report to the irrigation department. After the election code of conduct is lifted, a detail project report (DPR) will be prepared with the help of the irrigation department.”The Fort Kochi beach was famous for the annual Kochi Carnival held during the Christmas-New Year season. Even the burning of ‘pappanji’ was organised at the beach there until a few years ago. The venue was shifted because of the bad condition of the beach.
Now it is organised at an open ground in Fort Kochi. The walkway remaining dilapidated despite around `25 lakh being spent for the services of IIT Madras had invited the ire of local residents. The walkway was modified in 2017 under the `4-crore Fort Kochi Development Project. However, the entire walkway collapsed in heavy rain and sea erosion the same year. Another project still to be completed there is the renovation of the historic Chinese fishing nets.
The tourism department had handed over the project to KITCO. The Chinese nets were in the limelight recently with rumours floating of the likelihood of some of them being removed for the construction of a Water Metro boat jetty.“The renovation of the Chinese fishing nets was delayed as it has to be done using teak wood. The forest department has identified trees for the wood and the remaining work will happen soon,” Biju said.The Cochin Smartcity Mission Limited (CSML) has initiated a handful of projects to restore the pride of the ancient port city, including one on its drainage system.