The document outlines a vision for developing inland waterways in Kerala to unlock their potential for sustainable transport and tourism. It proposes making the entire West Coast canal system navigable, with feeder canals, to enable passenger and freight movement as well as tourism. Financing would come from public-private partnerships and crowd funding. The Government of Kerala supports private investment and PPPs, and plans to incentivize and regulate cargo transport by waterways. Developing connectivity between ports, airports, cities and tourism destinations is highlighted.

1. Inland Waterways of Kerala –
Unlocking the Potential
Coastal Shipping and IWT Business Forum
2015
Dr. V. K. Baby IAS
Special Secretary, Government of Kerala

2. Vision

3. Vision
• Green, sustainable, safe inter-modal transport
• Make the entire West Coast canal system
navigable with feeder canals (EU and
Scandinavian model) – phased approach
• Tourism passenger and freight movement – hop-
on hop off spa, ayurveda, local cuisine, art,
culture and tourism destinations
• Elevated expressway on side of West coast canal
linking ports, airports and state capitals, part of
golden quadrilateral- Mangalore to Cape

4. Financing
• PPP – BOOT; BOT; crowd funding;
Infrastructure Development Fund from
NRKs/NRIs
• Multi-modal logistic parks in PPP mode
• Inter-modal hubs also can develop as
commercial hubs
• Develop first mile connectivity
• Feasible tourist stretches

5. GoK Enabling Initiatives
• GoK is positive to PPPs and private
investments - consider viability gap funding
• Fiscal and policy support
• Transport subsidy for IWT on the anvil
• Incentivize and regulate bulk and over
dimensional cargo thru’ waterways
• Operator freedom in handling cargo

6. Inland
Waterways
of
Kerala
Connectivity
Ports: 20984 LMT- in 2015
LMT- 33262 LMT in 2030
Kochi; Vizhinjam; Beypore;
Azhikkal & Kollam
ICCTs:
Kochi; Vizhinjam
Airports
Kannur; Kozhikkode; Kochi,
Trivandrum
Ship Yard: Kochin and other
minor yeards
Dist Capitals: 11
Tourism Destinations
Kovalam; Varkala,
Alappuzha, Kochi, Kannur
and Kasaragod

7. • Kerala has 1548 km of navigable waters with
840 km of rivers and 708 km of calnals
• Highest inand water vessels in India 9060 in
2006-07
• NW-3 handle 13.44 lakh tonnes of cargo in
2011-12

8. I- Kovalam (0.00) to Kollam (74.180)

9. II – Kollam (74.18) to Kottappuram (242.18)

10. III- Kottappuram (248.18) to Beypore (398.81)

11. IV- Beypore (398.81)- Mahe River ends (479.18)

12. V- Mahe River end (479.18) to Neeleswaram (595.43)