KOCHI: The man behind the world’s first solar-powered airport is now looking to replicate the success with another ambitious project, the 610-km-long waterways project. The project is consuming most of his time these days.
The 610-km-long waterways project which will connect 11 districts and three airports -- Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kannur -- will be a fully green initiative. “It will be completely run on solar energy,” said V J Kurien, managing director of Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL). The Airport holds 50 per cent stake in the Rs 2,300 crore waterways project while the remaining 50 per cent is with the Kerala government.
CIAL, garnered worldwide attention when it became 100 per cent solar run airport in 2015, and today, even after four years no other airport is fully powered by solar power. Kurien hopes to convert his success in implementing solar power at the airport in the waterways project.
“Waterways will benefit people more. While the airport is confined to Ernakulam or central Kerala, the waterways will connect 11 districts of the state - starting from Kasaragod, Kozhikode, Kannur, Malappuram, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and finally Thiruvananthapuram,” Kurien said.
He said the waterways will use only solar boats, removing any concerns of water pollution. Also, solar plants will be set up at stations. As per the plan, the first solar operated boat would be operated from CIAL to Marine Drive.
“Except for Idukki, Wayanad and Palakkad, waterways project is going to touch large number of people, and will boost tourism,” said Kurien.
He said the biggest challenge for the waterways project is dredging of canals and property acquisition. “It’s 610km long. It’s being done in three phases: 1st phase will be over in 2020; second phase by 2022 and the third by 2023. In the first phase, we will connect a majority of the cities with water; phase II we will connect Kasaragod to Bekal, and in III phase Bekal and Neeleshwaram will be connected,” he said.
For 26 kms, Kurien said a ‘virgin cut’ has to be executed. “For this too, we are acquiring land and will start doing this next year,” he said.
Will boost tourism
Kurien said there was no point in insisting 40-metre width at all the places. “You have English canal tourism, which is confined to just five meters. We require such new concepts. We will be connected by water through inland waterways from Bekal to Kovalam,” he said. Asked if the project, which will see an investment of C2,300 crore, would earn profits, he said: “We should not insist that we need to generate revenue from every project. Do we look at revenue when we build roads. We will introduce profit-earning activities like building resorts, landing facilities for seaplanes etc. This is going to be a new concept,” he said. He said a big challenge for the project is cleaning up of the canals. “There are canals at many places, but canal bed is silted up with sludge. In many areas, water hyacinths clog the waterway. By next year, we will clean up everything,” Kurien said.