The second phase of works on the 616-km Kovalam-Bekal West Coast Canal is expected to be completed by 2025, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told the Kerala Assembly on February 12 (Monday).
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Replying to questions on the progress of the ambitious project aimed at facilitating seamless transport through waterways along the entire stretch of Kerala, Mr. Vijayan said the second phase of the three-phase project is progressing.
In the second phase, dredging and development of canals, including the Vadakara-Mahe canal, will be taken up for a distance of 85 km. Bridges will be reconstructed at whichever locations required. Land will be acquired for the dredging of new canals in the Mahe-Valapattanam and Neeleswaram-Bekal stretches, he said.
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In the third phase, 61 km of canals, including the Kozhikode canal city project, will be completed, along with terminal construction and development of feeder canals.
Currently, the 168-km Kollam-Kottappuram stretch is navigable. Though the Union government has taken over the 160-km stretch from Kottappuram to Kallayi to develop it as a national waterway, works have not started as it has not allocated any funds, said Mr. Vijayan.
In the 74.18-km Kovalam-Ashtamudi stretch, 51 km is currently navigable. Proceedings for rehabilitation of 1,480 families living along the canal puramboke in the Kovalam-Varkala stretch are ongoing. Out of these, 512 families have already been rehabilitated. The construction of a new navigational lock-cum-bridge at Thrikkunnapuzha in Alappuzha district for safe transit of barges is progressing.
Master plans
Mr. Vijayan said the entire stretch will be divided into 13 reaches and master plans prepared for each reach, focussing on tourism and economic development. The Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) is funding transit-oriented development and assessment of economic development opportunities studies, with studies for six reaches already completed.