THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It could turn out to be a project that restores the Parvathy Puthanar, once the pride of Travancore, to its lost glory. As part of extending the West Coast Canal up to the south of Thiruvananthapuram, the state government has announced a Rs 80 crore project for developing the Parvathy Puthanar. The project is aimed at making the waterway from Kovalam to Kollam fully navigable, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed the Assembly in a written reply on Tuesday.
“The stretch from Kollam to Kozhikode of the Kovalam-Neeleswaram waterway is designated as National Waterway (A project of the National Waterway Authority of India). The government is also laying stress on developing the reach from Kozhikode to Neeleswaram,” said Pinarayi. He also said the government aims at completing the waterway linking the north and south ends of the state by 2020. With the intention of developing the Kozhikode-Neeleswaram reach, the government has formed a special purpose vehicle (SPV).
“Apart from developing the Parvathy Puthanar, studies are also on to widen the Varkala tunnels,” the Chief Minister said. The man-made Parvathy Puthanar runs along the west coast of Thiruvananthapuram district.
It was developed during the Travancore days with the intention of linking the capital to Kadinamkulam, the Vamanapuram river and, ultimately, to Kochi.
But in recent decades, the canal has fallen upon hard times, and is now one of the most polluted water bodies in the south. Encroachments have narrowed down the canal, preventing smooth navigation. But if things pan out, it can also link two tourist spots in the district - Kovalam and Akkulam.
The Chief Minister also said the 168 -km long West Coast Canal (NW-3) from Kollam to Kottapuram is now navigable. “Once the entire stretch is cleared for navigation, the government will ensure the waterway is connected to major tourism spots and minor ports,” he said.