SWTD Unable to Resume Long-Haul Boat Service on Alappuzha-Kollam Waterway

An unplanned, low-height bridge at Thrikkunnapuzha continues to cripple the Alappuzha-Kollam waterway, severely affecting the State Water Transport Department (SWTD), which is unable to resume its popular long-haul service.

- Krishna Kumar K E @Kochi

The department is finding it hard to maintain its fleet in the Kollam region, forcing costly makeshift solutions and threatening the long-term health of the vessels.

The Alappuzha-Kollam waterway, a nearly 80-km-long stretch from the Vembanad lake to the Ashtamudi lake, was once a cherished eight-hour cruise for tourists and locals alike.

The trip on a double-decker boat offered breathtaking views and was a significant revenue earner, generating an average of ₹60,000 daily during peak season.

However, this popular trip has been impassable since the reopening of the route after the pandemic, due to the new low-height structure at Thrikkunnapuzha.

What is worrying the authorities now is the delay in the construction of a new bridge with a height of 6.5m at the site as part of the National Waterway-3 (NW-3) project, which will replace the current temporary bridge, having only a height of 1.5m.