THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Cases of accidents and drowning have been plaguing Varkala -- one of the popular beach tourist destinations in Kerala. Drowning incidents are being reported almost every week on the unguarded beaches of Varkala that attract scores of visitors throughout the year. The dilapidated pathways on top of the Varkala Cliff, which are eroding at a fast pace owing to lack of conservation, are turning hazardous. The majority of the pathways have been damaged, while the edges of the cliffs are gradually collapsing, posing danger to tourists.
Sanjay Sahadevan, the advisor to the Varkala Tourism Development Association, said, “Several tourists have fallen off the North Cliff and the monsoon is likely to compound the situation.
In the past one and a half years, at least 10 people have fallen down the cliff in separate incidents. Fortunately, there were no causalities. Recently, a large portion of the cliff fell off, and we intervened and tried to reinforce the pathways, but the municipality authorities issued a stop memo, stalling our efforts. We are ready to fix the pathways and have already consulted structural engineers in this regard, but without permission from the municipality, we cannot go ahead with the work,” he said, adding that the authorities should act immediately to avert major accidents.
Unguarded beaches are another concern plaguing the destination. As per unofficial records, at least four persons drowned in the beach in the past year, and accidents are almost regular.
Currently, there are only eight or nine lifeguards at Papanasam Beach. There are around eight beaches in the 9-km beach stretch at Varkala. “These beaches attract hundreds of tourists every day. However, there are no guards on duty to ensure their safety. In the past year, at least four people have died at these beaches,” he added.
Recently, the tourism department sanctioned Rs 1 crore for sprucing up the destination. Kerala Tourism Director P B Nooh told TNIE that funds have been sanctioned, and the reinforcement work on the pathways will be undertaken soon. “The District Tourism Promotion Council has already intervened. The local administration, revenue department, and police should take the necessary steps. The department is drawing up a master plan for the destination, which will ensure the conservation of the cliff. The master plan will be ready within a month,” he said.
Nooh added that the vacancies of two lifeguards who retired will be filled soon. “We have already taken steps, and those vacancies will be filled immediately. Many destinations across the state need more lifeguards, and we have taken this up with the government. This needs to be cleared by the finance department. We are awaiting a positive response from the government,” he added.