
KOCHI: The Cochin Carnival, the biggest gala of West Kochi, is off to a lively start as tourist arrivals to the historical spots of Fort Kochi and Mattancherry have started witnessing a rise. And the State Water Transport Department (SWTD) is desperate to resume its boat services to Mattancherry to cater to the tourist demand. But the failure of the irrigation department to remove the silt accumulated in the channel has hit its plans big time.
Now, as a last-ditch effort, the department has sought the help of the Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML) to clear the channel of the silt deposits using the new silt pusher machine that the latter is acquiring for the Kochi corporation.
“Our plan was to resume the services ahead of the Cochin Carnival. Despite continually pursuing with the irrigation department to clear the silt deposits and make the channel navigable, nothing has happened for nearly six years. Now, we’re hopeful that the silt pusher can help resume the boat services to Mattancherry in two weeks, in time for the New Year festivities that culminate with the burning of pappanji on the night of December 31,” a senior SWTD official told TNIE.
Recently, the CSML bought a number of modern machines, like 15 refuse compactors, mobile cold emulsion spray injection pothole patching machine, weed harvester, silt pusher, and jetting machine as part of a joint initiative with the Kochi corporation to transform the city. Minister for Local Self Government M B Rajesh inaugurated the `130-crore project last month.“We’re even acquiring a new boat FC-6, which will be delivered by December 14, taking the fleet strength in the Ernakulam region alone to nine. Now, we’ve sufficient boats and even spare ones to operate on the Mattancherry route. The current situation is that we cannot operate even the emergency rescue boat through the backwater channel because of a lack of depth following the formation of large silt deposits post the 2018 flood,” the official said.
The SWTD has taken up the issue with the CSML, following which the latter agreed to experiment with the silt pusher machine to clear the channel of silt. “During the talks, the operator exuded confidence of completing the work in two weeks,” he said.
CSML CEO Shaji V Nair said the silt pusher has been purchased to remove waste from drains and canals in the city.
“But when SWTD brought up the issue that has remained unresolved for many years, we thought of giving it a try using the machine. If the effort proves successful, SWTD can resume boat operations to Mattancherry before the carnival day. The machine will be handed over to the corporation only after this exercise,” Shaji said.
Boat trips from Ernakulam take only 25 minutes to reach Fort Kochi and Mattancherry, compared to over an hour by road. The irrigation department has completed the renovation of the Mattancherry boat terminal. The Water Metro too is trying to start operations to Mattancherry before the Cochin Carnival and is in the process of receiving three more hybrid vessels from the Cochin Shipyard.