The Hindu Business Line : IWT in Kerala — Waterways-minor ports link is the way forward

AN IDEA to develop the inland water transport (IWT) in Kerala by the interlinking of minor ports and the inland navigational network has been mooted. By exploiting the geography, the interlinking of waterways and minor ports can be achieved with less effort, according to a paper presented at a recent seminar.

Though Kerala has a number of minor ports, the cargo movement through them is minimal. The cargo coming into Kerala from other maritime States can also easily be transported through inland waterways.

The advantage of interlinking waterways is that wherever the network is not fully developed, the cargo can be transported by coastal shipping. To achieve this, the paper suggested setting up transhipment berths at every minor port.

All the minor ports and fishing harbours with a draft of about 3 metres could be part of the network.

For a maritime State such as Kerala, the significance of coastal shipping in the water transport sector is very high. The long stretches of backwaters and the presence of about 40 rivers that flow into the Arabian Sea make it ideal for inland water transport.

Thus, coastal shipping and inland navigation could together cater to the more than 25 per cent of the State's transportation needs.

If properly developed, the system could prove to be an economic, environment friendly and aesthetically suitable mode of transport. However, the paper pointed out that putting the system in place would require major effort.

As it could take time to implement the project and streamline operations, the initial return on investment would be low. Private participation could not be expected until proper infrastructure facilities were established. But once put in place, vessel operations and other infrastructure could be set up with private participation.

The business community should be encouraged to use the system, by giving financial incentives and subsidies and by educating businessmen about the benefits of the system.

Referring to cargo movements through minor ports in the State, the paper pointed out that it was considerably less given their number.

One of the minor ports functioning well in the State is at Beypore and the total cargo movement through the port is nearly one lakh tonnes. The other active minor ports are Vizhinjam and Neendakara.

Apart from this, the State has a number of fishing harbours that could handle cargo with minimal additional capital for development. Most of them are located in estuaries and are easily accessible. The potential to develop these harbours to have cargo handling facilities has already been identified and proposals are underway.

IWT compares poorly with road and rail transport. Only in the areas adjoining Kuttanad in Alappuzha district is the water transport sector active. This is mainly due to the lack of adequate road and rail infrastructure.

The major waterways identified in the State are from Kottapuram to Vadakara, Sultan canal in Kannur district and the Vembanad lake.

These waterways, which could facilitate uninterrupted transport facility from Kozhikode to Thiruvananthapuram in the earlier days, have become more or less defunct. With dramatic developments in the road and rail transport since the 1960s in Kerala, the inland water transport has lost its pre-eminence.

However, initiatives by the Tourism Department to develop the National Waterways, has led to resurrection of some stretches. But due to the slow pace of development, it is not expected to bring about too much change. In order to develop the IWT sector to its potential, the waterways need to be restored and integrated with the minor ports.

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