Kovalam sees waves of revival

Giving hope to the pandemic-hit tourism industry, the newly elected government has initiated efforts to reopen the tourism sector soon after the second wave.
Kovalam sees waves of revival

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While govt has started efforts to reopen tourism in the state, reviving Kovalam’s beaches that were hit badly by sea erosion will be challenging. Phase II development activities has been halted following the second pandemic wave

Giving hope to the pandemic-hit tourism industry, the newly elected government has initiated efforts to reopen the tourism sector soon after the second wave. However, reviving the beach destinations that have faced massive sea erosion is going to be a herculean and time-consuming task. Making the Kovalam beaches, which are being battered by the rough sea and sea erosion, attractive again is going to be the biggest challenge. The destination has been literally out of bounds for the tourists for months now.

The previous government had launched `20 crore worth of infrastructure development activities to revive and give a facelift to Kovalam. However, the  Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Ltd (ULCCS), the agency executing the project, has failed to implement phase II of the Project because of heavy sea erosion. It is learnt that the majority of the components are coming up on the beaches at Kovalam. The second phase of the project aims at sprucing up Hawa, Sea Rock and Lighthouse beaches.  The project includes two 13-foot-wide and 400-metre-long walkways, a laser show facility and tripods for coastal safety. 

Pics: B P Deepu
Pics: B P Deepu

Sea erosion plays villain
The ULCCS has halted the second phase work because of heavy sea erosion. “We will not be able to execute the projects without protecting the beach. The Harbour Engineering Department is undertaking a study to launch the beach protection project. 

They will be launching it soon. The project got delayed following the lockdown. There was a labour shortage too. Now if we look back, it was a boon that the project was not launched. Even if we had executed, the rough sea would have swallowed the entire infrastructure,” said the official.

To reopen the destination for domestic tourists immediately, the tourism authorities have decided to carry out emergency maintenance work to reinstate the infrastructure battered by rough waves at Kovalam. “We have given a letter to ULLCS to undertake emergency maintenance work. The pathways are destroyed and now it is not accessible to pedestrians. Emergency maintenance work would make the destination accessible to local tourists at least,” said a senior official of the tourism department. The department is planning to execute the projects immediately. “The harbour department will launch the beach protection project soon after the study,” the official added. 

PROTECTION IS KEY
The second phase of the beach development projects includes setting up granite seats, hand railing along the walkways, renovation of the toilet blocks, and construction of restrooms. “The plan is to protect the beach with T-head groynes and restore the sand bed,” said an official.

The state government has granted C8.35 crore. “It’s a beach tourism destination and the beach protection project should not affect the beauty of the place,” the official said. To woo more tourists to the state, the government is planning to give priority vaccination to those in the hospitality sector. “That is the only way to reopen the tourism destinations. The plan is to vaccinate everybody in the hospitality sector which would help us project Kerala as a safe destination,” a senior official of the tourism department said.

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