THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Six months into its formation, the Kerala Waterways and Infrastructure Development Ltd (KWIL) is gearing up to undertake its first ever work towards the development of inland waterways in the state. As per inside accounts, KWIL has been tasked with rejuvenating the Parvathi Puthanar canal to make it navigable. An amount of R150 crore has already been sanctioned from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) for the work to be carried out in a phased manner.“The navigational and tourism potential offered by inland waterways is yet to be explored,” said an officer with the Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation Department.
“The proposed work to be undertaken by KWIL is towards achieving that objective. The plan is to make the Kovalam-Akkulam Lake stretch of the canal navigable in the first phase.” It is learned KIIFB had given the go-ahead for the Parvathi Puthanar project on the basis of a proposal submitted by KWIL managing director V J Kurian. As per the proposal, the 18.50 km Kovalam-Akkulam Lake stretch will be developed and made navigable with minimum land acquisition and cross structure reconstruction.
“The MD suggested all cross structures with dimensions lower than 5 m horizontal clearance and 3.7 m vertical clearance will be reconstructed on the Kovalam-Akkulam Lake stretch. Later, the stretch will be developed depending on the increase in cargo and passenger movement,” said the officer. Inland Navigation director Suresh told Express KWIL’s maiden work will begin either by the end of April or the first week of May. He said a three-phase development of Parvathi Puthanar is being planned and that work - including cleaning of the canal, rehabilitating people living on its banks - will be undertaken in a time-bound manner.
“The first and foremost work to be carried out under the project is the cleaning of Parvathi Puthanar,” he said.“It will be followed by rehabilitating some 1,500 families who have encroached upon the canal and constructed houses there. They will be rehabilitated under the LIFE Mission. Work regarding the construction of sewage lines and connecting the same with the Muttathara Sewage Treatment Plant will also be carried out, all of which are planned to be completed by 2020.”
Once the said work is completed, Suresh said, priority will be given to develop the stretch for tourism-related aspects. The director also hinted on establishing tourist centres at Kovalam and Vallakadavu, expected to be carried out as third phase development commencing in 2025. KWIL, which aims to make the state’s canals navigable by 2019, plans to develop Parvathi Puthanar in line with National Waterways standards. KWIL was constituted as a joint venture between the Kerala Government and the Cochin International Airport Ltd last October.
Kerala’s navigable inland waterways
The approximate length of the state’s inland waterways fit for navigation is 1,680 km. It includes the 590 km of the West Coast Canal from Neeleswaram in the north to Kovalam in the south. Of this 590 km, a stretch of 365 km is National Waterway 3 maintained by the Centre. With the formation of the Kerala Waterways and Infrastructure Development Ltd, the state is looking towards investing in the remaining 225 km.
Proposed utilisation of E150 crore allocated for the development of Parvathi Puthanar’s Kovalam-Akkulam Lake stretch:
Land acquisition - I20 cr
Canal cleaning - I2 cr
Dredging and desilting - I5 cr
Reconstruction of three road bridges, a foot bridge and a new road bridge -
I55 cr
Protection of banks at vulnerable locations - I5 cr
Navigational aids - I3 cr
Construction of jetties/terminals - I10 cr
Provision of sewage lines - I50 cr