The Akkulam to Chettuva stretch of Kovalam-Bekal waterway, also known as the West Coast Canal, is likely to be ready in six months, said managing director of Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation R Girija.
Speaking at a panel discussion on ‘Navigating the Future: Shipping, Logistics and the New Supply Chain’ at the Vizhinjam Conclave organized by Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC) and Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (TCCI), Girija expressed hope that the Akkulam-Bekal stretch of inland waterway would be completed by 2028.
Vizhinjam port is expected to complete all phases of expansion by then, and logistics experts and traders hope to use the waterway to move goods using barges from the port. Shipping and logistics experts who attended the conclave said that the entire stretch of the waterway can work as a viable alternative for road and rail, or it can fill the gap until surface transport facilities are ready.
While the stretch between Bekal and Kovalam is technically navigable, the shallow draft of 2-3.2m in several sections poses a challenge. Girija said that operating large barges across a tunnel in Varkala would be difficult because of silt accumulation. Another challenge will be a lock at Trikkunnapuzha, which is being widened, she added. “Govt is keen on this initiative, and weekly monitoring is in place,” she said.
Nearly 1,000 families will need to be rehabilitated for the Akkulam-Kovalam stretch. “Govt is taking this issue seriously,” she said, adding that National Waterway 3 is expected to be fully operational by 2028.
Of the 610-km West Coast Canal, Kollam-Kottapuram-Kallayi has been declared a national waterway and artificial canals will be built on the Mahe-Valapattanam and Neeleswaram-Chittari stretches.
