Boat services will be conducted from Kovalam here to Mahe by May 2020 as part of making the 633-km West Coast Canal (WCC), the arterial waterway through 11 districts of the State, navigable.
With trial runs done using a six-seater speed boat procured by CIAL on the Kottapuram-Chettuva and Vallakadavu-Akkulam stretches successful, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has given the nod for launching boat services up to Mahe by May 2020. Trial run will be carried out in March 2020.
Poll promise
The launch of the boat service will coincide with the fourth anniversary of the Left Democratic Front government. Development of the National Waterway was one of the key promises of the LDF during the elections.
Cargo movement
The Chief Minister has mandated shifting of at least 5% of cargo from roads to the waterway in five years.
Indigenously developed solar boats that can ferry 25 to 30 persons at a time will be launched.
The Chief Minister has given the go ahead for throwing open the waterway for boat services without waiting for the construction of artificial canals in three uncut portions along the 57-km Mahe-Valapattanam stretch.
The government has given administrative sanction for acquiring 178.95 acres spread over six villages and another 246.5 acres between the Ancharakandy and Valapattanam rivers for creating artificial canals. But, this work is expected to take time as the district administration has just started preliminary land acquisition proceedings.
A meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here recently took stock of the progress and the constraints before the Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation Department and the newly formed Special Purpose Vehicle, Kerala Waterways and Infrastructures Ltd (KWIL), for developing waterways and operating boats.
Tunnels in Varkala
Clearing the tunnels in Varkala and replacement of the regulator at Kottai are the other main constraints. The 305-m and 720-m long tunnels in Varkala have a diameter of 4.5 metre and steps have commenced to remove the silt and to make them navigable. Work on desilting and cleaning the Akkulam-Kollam stretch is progressing. The Kollam-Chettuva corridor, part of the National Waterway III, is navigable. Bridges will have to be constructed at Perunelly and Vallakadavu in the capital district.
Of the 81-km waterway stretch from Valapattanam to Bekal in Kasaragod, the Neelasweram and Valapattanam rivers comprise 71 km. A 7-km uncut portion to link Bekal and Azhikkal port is another hurdle. Demarcation of land that has to be acquired has commenced and the work is expected to be completed by May next.
The remaining 27 km will be taken up in the Phase III of the waterway development.
