Technical sanction has been accorded to the development and revival of the historic waterway from Anchuthengu Kayal to Nadayara Kayal, and the revival of two tunnels at Varkala and Reach II from Thazhevettoor to Ramanthalay at a cost of Rs.19 crore. With this, the efforts to make the 722-metre Sivagiri tunnel, the 350-metre Chilakoor tunnel, and the 12.7-km waterways navigable have brightened again.
Technical nod has been given after the technical sanction committee convened by the Additional Chief Secretary (Water Resources, Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation) recommended the proposal submitted by the Chief Engineer (Irrigation and Administration) in August and September.
Official sources told The Hindu that orders to this effect had been issued by the Department of Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation and the expenditure would be met from the Plan funds.
The tunnels and the 12.7-km waterways are part of the 60.5-km Thiruvananthapuram-Kollam section of the T.S. Canal.
The adjacent Kollam-Kottapuram stretch of the West Coast Canal has been declared as National Waterway III and is ready for commissioning.
Dredging, widening, and reinforcement work were proposed to make the stretch navigable and extend the National Waterway III up to Kovalam.
A sum of Rs.27.5 crore was sanctioned in August last year and administrative sanction was given.
This included revival of two tunnels at Varkala in Reach II from Thazhevettoor to Ramanthalay at Rs.19.5 crore and revival of two tunnels in Reach III from Ramanthalay to Sivagiri at Rs.8 crore. But government gave technical nod only for Rs.19 crore.
The Chief Engineer has sought nod for the development and revival of the 12.7-km waterway, revival of two tunnels, and Reach II from Thazhevettoor to Ramanthalay.
The proposal is to create a 14-metre wide, two-metre deep waterway on the 12.7-km stretch for boats to pass. The Sivagiri tunnel, completed in 1880, is the only one of its kind in Asia.
Concrete lining provided between 1934 and 1942 has peeled off at several places.
