NEW WATERWAYS IN KERALA

The waterways being constructed between Kovalam to Bakel was originally scheduled for completion in 2017. Now it is reported to have been extended to 2015. The 620 km waterway will be multiadvantageous for the state of Kerala.

This waterway shall boost the tourism sector of Kerala as well as the country as a whole. We must deploy high speed luxurious boats for the entire distance specially for tourists. It should also be more useful and attractive for the local people. The boats should be of different categories like passenger capacity of 60 people, 40, 20 and 10. There should also be car like speed boats with 4/6 seater capacity. Since goods transport through waterways will cost only about one third comparing to road transport, many goods like LPG cylinders, petroleum products, fertilizers and chemicals, Marine products, Marine cargo for local delivery etc can be transported through waterways by goods transport boats. Above all wide use of waterways may bring down road transport considerably. Let us also remember that as per reports there were 43,957 road accidents in Kerala in 2022 killing 4,303 people and injuring 49,261 people. When water transport become customary, road accidents may come down sharply.

Since the state government is not financially sound to take up the project lavishly, it is suggested to divide the total operational distance into three equal distance and entrust to three different agencies under BOT terms for a suitable period. Each sector should be constructed and managed by these agencies. They should fulfill all technical requirements including water depth, coast distance, fuel stations and boat jettys at all stations in international standard with restaurant facilities. They can use their own boats, hire boats or can entrust the service to private agencies. They must charge boat registration fee for plying through their respective region, permit fee, licence fee etc can also be charged. They can also have passenger fare. GST as applicable to be paid to the government.

At the central region of the state, government may ask a competent company to manufacture all the required boats in international standard. They may be asked to have technical collaboration with boat building companies from Norway, Finland, Germany, Russia, South Korea etc. If this can be properly instituted and managed, it will be a zero cost project for the government. The government may have a fairly good revenue from different sources too.

K V George