Chellanam residents pin hopes on new sea wall project

Chellanam residents anticipate completion of sea protection wall for comprehensive coastal defense, urging maintenance of temporary road for future repairs.

Residents of Chellanam panchayat are hopeful that the soon-to-be-completed granite boulder and tetrapod sea protection wall along 7.36 km of the coast will mark the beginning of comprehensive coastal protection efforts between South Chellanam and Fort Kochi.

The 7.36 km segment between Chellanam Fishing Harbour and Puthenthod will provide protection to the coastal stretch. The work began with an allocation of over ₹344 crore by Kerala Infrastructure Investment Board KIIFBI in 2021. The Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society is executing the work.

The project features a tetrapod wall positioned alongside the granite boulder barrier, which lies closer to the water. A 3-metre-high walkway has been constructed atop the wall, with 16 access points at Vachakkal, Panakkal, Companippady, Gonduprambu, Malakhappadi, North Chellanam, Bazaar, Pattathiparambu, Little Flower Church, Kattikkad, Bada, Archana Bakery, Kandakkadavu, and Reethalayam.

Additionally, six sea groynes have been installed between Bazaar and Pattathiparambu. What remains of the present segment of the work are a few metres of footpath near Chalakkadavu and railings near Gonduparambu.

The residents of the area under the Chellanam-Fort Kochi Janakiya Vedhi demanded that the temporary road built along the coast to carry out the work should be maintained for future use in repairs and maintenance of the wall. V.T. Sebastian of the Janakiya Vedhi proposed developing the road into an alternative route parallel to State Highway 66, potentially boosting tourism in the area.

The group also appealed to the government not to allow anyone to encroach on the land that has been reclaimed when the fishing gaps have been levelled to run along the coast in a straight line.

The group reminded the government of the need to continuously monitor the sea erosion problem as a recent study by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies showed that Chellanam continued to be a hotspot for sea erosion along the State’s coast.