Thiruvananthapuram-Chavakkad waterway ready for navigation

The waterway from Akkulam in Thiruvananthapuram to Chavakkad in Thrissur, which was recently dredged and made navigable, is ready for commissioning. This includes the 205-km Kollam-Kottapuram National Waterway-III, which is maintained by Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). “A formal inauguration of the navigable waterbody - which is part of the 620-km Kovalam-Bekal waterway, is expected in a month’s time. Bottlenecks on the stretch, including water hyacinths and encroachments like fishing nets and other incursions on the waterway have been cleared for safe transit of medium-sized passenger vessels. Cargo vessels will be able to follow suit once the few shallow stretches in the waterway are dredged,” official sources said.