T’puram: Even as the first phase of the Kovalam–Bekal West Coast Canal project, from Akkulam in Thiruvananthapuram to Chettuva in Thrissur, is set to be inaugurated on Feb 26 by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, uncertainty continues to cloud the crucial Kovalam–Akkulam stretch of the Parvathy Puthanar canal in the capital district due to delays in land acquisition. The Kovalam–Akkulam corridor is considered a vital link in the larger west coast inland navigation network envisioned by the state govt. However, progress on widening the Parvathy Puthanar canal has slowed owing to unresolved issues related to families residing on puramboke land along the canal banks. According to official estimates, 494 families are currently living on encroached govt land within the project area without legal land ownership documents.
Of these, 425 families have accepted a consolidated compensation package of Rs 11 lakh each. The remaining 69 families, many of whom reside within the corporation limits, are demanding Rs 20 lakh as compensation, citing higher land values and rehabilitation costs in urban areas. Revenue authorities are continuing negotiations with these families, and officials indicate that completing land acquisition in this stretch could take at least six more months. Meanwhile, the acquisition of private land in Kadakampally, Thiruvallam and Pettah villages has been completed and compensation disbursal is underway. In Muttathara village, however, the process remains pending as a resurvey of certain land parcels is in progress. The 11(1) notification under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act has already been published in Kadakampally, Pettah and Thiruvallam villages, while digital survey procedures are progressing in Muttathara.The project is being implemented by Kerala Waterways Infrastructure Ltd (KWIL), the state-run special purpose vehicle tasked with developing inland waterways infrastructure. A senior KWIL official said the agency remains confident of resolving the pending issues. “Land acquisition in urban stretches is always complex, especially where long-settled families are involved. We are working closely with the district administration to ensure fair compensation and rehabilitation,” the official said. For decades, the Parvathy Puthanar canal, part of the historic West Coast Canal system, suffered from severe encroachments, untreated sewage discharge, and neglect, rendering large portions unnavigable. The Rs 183.5 crore revival plan aims to widen and dredge the canal, construct retaining walls, develop boat jetties and pedestrian bridges, and improve landscaping along the banks to make the waterway both navigable and tourism-friendly.
