Kerala   

Facelift for Kovalam beaches

KOVALAM: The Lighthouse and Eve’s beaches here will get a facelift with a Rs.2.73-crore beautification programme being taken up by Kerala Tourism under the Centrally sponsored tsunami rehabilitation project.

The 900-metre paved walkway from near Hotel Sea Face to the lighthouse, ravaged by tsunami and sea erosion, will be strengthened as part of the project.

A new 200-metre paved walkway will be constructed from near Hotel Sea Face to the narrow path that leads to the Kovalam palace junction.

The Harbour Engineering Department, which is executing the beach beautification work, has decided to use gabion box to strengthen the walkway and for constructing the new one. Rubble will be filled in rectangular boxes made from galvanised wire with zinc coating and PVC. (The PWD has decided to use gabion wall on the sea-ravaged stretch of the airport-Shanghumughom road.)

Gabion boxes will be the foundation for the walkway and the pavement will come above it. This will prevent the walkway from being damaged by the waves. The gabion box will hold together the rubble inside and prevent it from being washed away.

Official sources said the gabion boxes would be linked to the side of the damaged stretches of the existing walkway. This was being done as the entire stretch of the walkway laid by Kerala Tourism a couple of years ago could not be replaced.

An open air amphitheatre would be set up in the parking area facing the Eve’s beach under the scheme. The new walkway would act as a boundary wall to the amphitheatre. Once commissioned, tourism authorities would be able to hold art and cultural festivals here. In addition, a life guard station, pay and use toilet block, police aid post and electrification would be taken up. Sources said the rough sea and the inclement weather were preventing the commencement of the work. The beautification work was scheduled for completion by March next.

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