State Waterways: First Phase to Be Completed by March

235-Km Stretch from Akkulam to Chetua

The 235-kilometer stretch of the East West Canal, a state waterway, is scheduled to be commissioned before next March. The Inland Water Transport Department anticipates the completion and inauguration of the Akkulam-Chetua section, spanning Thiruvananthapuram to Thrissur, by December.

                The 616-kilometer waterway stretches from Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram district to Bekal in Kasaragod district. The upgrade project is currently underway along two segments: from Akkulam to Kollam and from Thrissur-Kottappuram to Chetua. To ensure the safety and navigability of the waterway, the existing tunnels beneath the five-meter-wide hill in Varkala will be renovated. In anticipation of future increased traffic on the waterway, plans are in place to construct a new tunnel if necessary.

                Cargo barges are restricted to the Varkala tunnel section. Passenger and tourist boats will navigate through the historic 150-year-old tunnel. Approximately 500 families have been relocated from the Varkala region. Renovation projects are underway in the Eranjikal, Kuttiadi, Vadakara, and Mahi areas of Kozhikode. The initial segment of the canal, the Kovalam-Akkulam section, has encountered significant construction challenges. Efforts are underway to relocate approximately 960 families residing in the Kovalam region.

                A comprehensive plan is underway to upgrade the Canolly Canal in Kozhikode. The project entails the construction of a 26-kilometer-long canal linking the Mahi and Valapatnam Rivers at the canal's terminus and a 6-kilometer-long canal in the Nileswaram-Bekal region. Land acquisition for these developments is currently in progress.

National Waterways Authority Abandons Project  - The primary obstacle facing the state waterway project is the suspension of work on the 160-kilometer stretch from Kottapuram to Kozhikode, which is part of the national waterway. The National Waterways Authority is responsible for implementing the necessary upgrades to this section. Despite the Inland Water Transport Department's submission of detailed Rs. 1200 crore plan years ago, the National Waterways Authority has yet to take any action on the project.