THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As the boat began entering the historic Chilakkoor Tunnel, passengers were curiosity personified – what was in store for them in one of the most talked-about tourism projects of the state.
However, once the entire boat saw the roof of the tunnel, four projectors in four corners of the boat began beaming light, which soon changed into the retelling of the life of Renaissance stalwart Sree Narayana Guru.
The famous discussions he held with Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore lit up as a light and sound show before the passengers’ eyes, as they voyaged through the newly revamped inland waterway at Varkala here. The light and sound show is more than a tourist attraction; but rather the revival of an archaeologically significant corridor through which key trades of coir, rice, and goods were facilitated in the 1800s to the entire Travancore region.
Riding high on the hopes of a possible boost to the state’s economy, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the first phase — the 280-km-long Akkulam-Chettuva stretch — of the ambitious Kovalam- Bekal West Coast Innovation Project at the Chilakkoor Beach Park here on Thursday.
The CM also inaugurated various projects by the Inland Navigation Waterways projects of the Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation Department in a ceremony, which was presided over by Varkala MLA V Joy. Highlighting that the recent infrastructure leaps, including the national highway and Vizhinjam International Sea Port, will support the inland waterways development, Pinarayi said that the state will soon benefit immensely from the multi-model logistics network.
With improved connectivity because of these, the goods movement in the state will be facilitated smoothly, thereby reducing chances of accidents or mishaps, he commented.
With the first step into a potential revolution already made, the state can now explore possibilities of facilitating trade, not just through the waters like in the earlier days, but also along the shores. What appears to be a giant leap in the tourism and economic aspects of the state also has a great history of more than two decades. Initially conceived in 2006, the project appeared to be in a standstill for over 12 years, before it was revived in 2018.
An extensive plan to study the possibility of a statewide-inland waterway connectivity from Kovalam to Bekal was prepared in 2021-22, for which a sum of Rs 2,556 crore was earmarked by KIIFB in 2023.
“No development will take place here by harming anyone. We might hit roadblocks, but turning back or dropping the projects because of these is not our way of action,” the CM said, adding that a sum of over Rs 150 crore was spent towards the rehabilitation of 580 families because of this project.
Adding to this, V Joy said the project became successful because of the support of local people. The event was also attended by Chirayinkeezhu MLA V Sasi, Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat president Priyadarshini, Varkala municipal chairperson Geetha Hemachandran, Vettoor panchayat president Suji S, among others.
Chilakkoor Tunnel
Engineering marvel built in 1876 in the Travancore era
Through the 320-m long tunnel, coir, rice and goods were transported
Popularity of the tunnel declined with increased interest in road transport
Legacy of the tunnel retained, with minimal mending works done
The light and Sound show is projected inside the curved surface of the tunnel
Kovalam- Bekal Waterway
Phase 1—280-km long— Akkulam (Thiruvananthapuram) to Chettuva (Thrissur)
The Kovalam-Bekal waterway is proposed to be 590 km long, 40 m wide
Designed to enable large-scale cargo movement
Depth and width of the 5 km-long Thrissur- Kattoor section increased, levelling up as state waterway