Waterways transport in Kerala

Waterways have always been an important mode of transport in Kerala. The total length of navigable route in Kerala was 1,900 kilometres and the navigable rivers constitute about 54 per cent of the waterways. The 41 West-flowing rivers together with the backwaters are an integrated part of the inland navigation system in Kerala. In Kerala water transportation through these channels are mainly small distant passenger services, informal country boats, freight transportation to PSU's such as Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore, Kochi etc.
The State's inland waterways pass through highly populated regions. The majority of those inhabiting the region adjoining water ways were engaged in traditional industries such as coir, cashew, brick-making and fishing. Modernization of the inland waterways can have significant impact on these population. Till early 20 th century waterways was major transportation mode in Travancore–Cochin region. Development of railways and bridges on roads reduced their significance. The yet to complete discontinuous West Coast Canal (WCC) . is major project conceived to revive waterways and shift significant transportation through waterways.
Also along with the Thiruvananthapuram–Kasargode Semi High Speed Rail Corridor and National Highway 66 Kanyakumari to Mumbai (Trivandrum - Kasaragod stretch in Kerala) WCC will complete a network of multimodal north south corridor across Kerala.
In pre-independence era especially transportation across Kerala was mainly through boats. Road networks in state were quite insufficient. However, later when roadways and railways started to develop the importance of waterways started to diminish. In later part of 20th century the past glory of waterways had in 18th and 19th century depleted rapidly. However, in 21st century there started to get a renewed emphasis on waterways of state. In 2005 the then President of India Shri. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam presented a 10-point development agenda aimed at making the State an economic powerhouse by 2015.In this he mentioned strongly about the potential of water ways of Kerala.
Almost all the major water way systems in Kerala are part of the West Coast canal system (WCC). This canal system is a mix of backwaters, river streams and man-made canal systems. Few significant navigable stretch in this grand system (some of which are in dilapidated situation currently) are as follows,
WCC is the arterial inland waterway of the State, which is being developed to the standard of a National Waterway. This is a ₹2,300-crore rupees project that is intended to make the entire 633 km long water ways along Kerala coast from Kovalam (Thiruvananthapuram district) to Bekal (Kasaragod district) fully navigable and connect the three major international airports of Kerala such as Trivandrum International Airport, Cochin International Airport and Kannur International Airport through waterways by May 2020. The project was handled by Kerala Waterways and Infrastructures Ltd., the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) set up on Oct 2017 for the timely development of inland waterways. The Government of Kerala and CIAL have stakes in it. The SPV is entrusted with duties such as cross structure construction, dredging, widening and cleaning the waterways. Their first project was rejuvenation of the 18 km Akkulam - Kovalam stretch of Parvathi Puthannaar in Trivandrum awarded to them in May 2018. The National Transportation Planning and Research Centre, in its techno-economic feasibility study, said 16.6 per cent of the total goods traffic by road could be diverted to the inland water transport system once WCC is completed. The various stretches of WCC from South to North of Kerala are as follows,
Alappuzha is called the Venice of the East. No other town in Kerala must have relied on waterways and canals as much as Alappuzha does. The water way system in Alappuzha developed because of architect of the city Raja Kesavadas in 18th century. The major canals and waterways in Alappuzha town and adjoining areas are,
Water transportation also exists as numerous small ferry (kadathu in local dialect) at various parts of the state mainly on rivers. This facilitate to cross from one shore to other where bridges are absent. It is cost effective and can be established even at higher reaches of river which are normally not having formal navigation facilities.
There are also big ferries that facilitate even vehicles to cross the channel. Some important ones in state are,
There are also boat services in many reservoirs in Kerala. These boat services are primarily operated for tourism purposes. There are also few places such as Amboori, Neyyar Dam where there is country boat ferry services through reservoir to connect tribal hamlets. Major reservoir boating facilities are,
The SWTD - State Water Transport Department transports about 150 lakhs of passengers per annum using wooden/steel and fibre Glass Passenger Boats. Approximately 40,000 people use their service every day. It operates vehicle carrier (Two-wheeler) boats in ferry services. The operating distance per day is 700 km approximately.
It is first of its kind in India. Intended to integrate with Kochi Metro and serve under Unified Metropolitan Transportation Authority of Kochi city.
Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore runs barges through Champakkara Canal in Kochi to transport materials between Ambalamedu and Kochi Port. There is also container movement between Kottayam Inland Port and International Container Transshipment Terminal, Kochi.
Numerous Tourist Boats and Kettuvallam (Houseboats) of Kerala are found near Kollam, Alappuzha, Kumarakom, Kochi and Valiyaparamba in North Malabar. Alumkadavu near Karunagappalli is a major center of luxury house boat manufacturing in Kerala. There are boat services done in many reservoirs in Kerala for tourists.
Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation has a mini cruise ship named Nefereti which conduct tourist service from Kerala backwaters to open seas at Kochi.