KOCHI: Proposing an undersea road tunnel beneath the shipping channel between Vypeen and Fort Kochi, former port administrator Jose Paul has prepared a concept paper for a 2.5 to 3-km link that could complete the missing stretch of the coastal highway. It was submitted to State Planning Board vice-chairperson K M Chandrasekhar on September 7. He is also planning to meet the chief minister to formally present the proposal for consideration.
The proposed tunnel intends to provide a direct road connection between the two areas instead of depending on the Ro-Ro ferry or taking the longer route through Mattancherry and Willingdon Island.
Paul estimates that the tunnel could cut the journey from Fort Kochi to Ernakulam from around 16 km to around 8 km. Travel time to the High Court area could come down from around 1 hour and 15 minutes to around 15 to 30 minutes.
The proposal comes as work on the 625-km coastal highway from Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod gathers pace. The highway is intended to provide an alternative route along the coast and reduce pressure on NH 66 and NH 544. However, the Vypeen-Fort Kochi stretch remains a major missing link because the route crosses the shipping channel of Cochin Port.
At present, vehicles crossing between Vypeen and Fort Kochi have to use the Ro-Ro ferry. Around 6,000 vehicles and 3,500 passengers are estimated to use the service every day. Vehicles can spend 45 minutes to an hour waiting at the ferry points during busy periods.
The ferry service also has to stop when ships pass through the channel. Around 3,500 ship movements are recorded through the channel annually. Dredging activity can create further interruptions. Ferry operations are also affected by strong winds, currents and waves during the monsoon.
Paul argues that the situation could become more difficult once the Munambam-Azhikode bridge opens. The bridge is expected to improve connectivity along the northern stretch of the coastal highway and could increase traffic towards Vypeen and Fort Kochi.
The concept paper refers to a feasibility study conducted by Kerala Rail Development Corporation Ltd (K-Rail) in 2023. The study had examined the possibility of a tunnel below the shipping channel. It suggested twin road tunnels with approaches connecting to a four-lane road on either side.
The tunnel would be built deep below the seabed so that shipping through the channel is not affected. The concept paper places the tunnel at around 35 metres below sea level. However, the exact depth and alignment would have to be determined after detailed soil and other investigations.
The soil is one of the major challenges. K-Rail’s study found that the loose soil at higher levels may not be suitable for conventional tunnel boring. Stiffer marine clay at greater depths could be suitable for tunnel boring machines. The final construction method would depend on detailed geological and geotechnical studies.
Paul estimates that the tunnel itself could be constructed in two to two-and-a-half years if a tunnel boring machine is used. The overall project timeline would also depend on land acquisition and preparatory work.
The preliminary cost mentioned in the K-Rail feasibility assessment is `267.25 crore.
The study estimated an economic internal rate of return of 9.63% based on the traffic and other data available at the time. A detailed project report would require fresh traffic, environmental, geological, oceanographic and social impact studies.
Jose Paul has suggested developing the project through a public-private partnership. Under a design-build-finance-operate-transfer model, a private investor could build and operate the tunnel for a specified concession period and recover the investment through toll collection before transferring the facility to the government, he notes.
The proposal also links the tunnel to the plans to strengthen the maritime economy through Mission Samudra.
A continuous coastal highway with a direct Vypeen-Fort Kochi connection could improve access to Cochin Port and other coastal ports. It could also support the movement of people and goods to industrial and maritime facilities in Vypeen.
Jose Paul had first raised the need for an undersea tunnel after the August 2015 Fort Kochi-Vypeen ferry accident in which eight people died.