The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : New authority to develop waterways in the State

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Monday, Oct 22, 2007
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

New authority to develop waterways in the State

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

Cabinet approval awaited for KIWDA

Thiruvananthapuram: The State government will set up a Kerala Inland Water Development Authority (KIWDA) on the lines of the Inland Waterways Development Authority (IWAI) for the development of all waterways in the State.

The proposal is awaiting Cabinet approval, official sources told The Hindu recently. The IWAI takes care of the national waterways in the State. And the KIWDA will be responsible for the development of other waterways.

Main hurdle

The decision to set up the KIWDA has been taken as it is found that the lack of an authority is the main hurdle in developing the waterways of the State which have immense potential, sources say. Also, there is lack of coordination between the various State departments concerned and the IWAI.

Feasibility report

In 1998, the National Transportation Planning and Research Centre (Natpac) submitted a techno-economic feasibility report on the Kollam-Kovalam and Kottupuram-Kasaragod stretches of the West Coast Canal to the IWAI for extending National Waterway III up to Kasaragod in the north and Kovalam in the south.

It took nine years for the development of the 205-km Kollam-Kottapuram stretch with Union government funding. The stretch was declared as National Waterway III by the IWAI on February 1, 1993. It will be operationalised before November 1, Kerala Formation Day, official sources say.

The KIWDA will have representatives of all departments concerned. It will also coordinate with the State departments and the IWAI.

At present, the irrigation wing under the Water Resources Department takes care of the State waterways.

Limited role

Often, its work is limited to dredging of the waterways and protection of the banks. The proposed authority will ensure that the banks of the waterways are safe.

“Like National Highways Authority of India and IWAI, Kerala needs an authority and a team of experts to take care of the development of the waterways.

The authority will be a major step in the development of waterways,” Admiral B. R. Menon, Adviser to the government on development of inland waterways, said.

Kerala has 10 per cent of the navigable waterways in the country.

Inland water transport is widely accepted as environment-friendly, fuel-efficient and a cheaper and safer mode of transport.

Apart from promoting tourism, waterways can decongest the road and rail system. As per studies, the inland water transport system can provide employment to 1.5 to 2 lakh people in the State.

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