Unicaus NEWS
The authorities is hard-pressed to boost about ₹2,500 crore to fund the roughly 3-km-long underwater tunnel. The assembly in November would make clear this. In its current kind, the venture would possibly possibly need to be readied with non-public participation, following which motorists utilizing it might need to pay toll, highly-placed sources mentioned.
The venture was mooted as early as 2015 by Jose Paul, Adjunct Professor on the India Maritime University in Chennai and a doctorate holder in Port Management from the University of Wales, UK. “I prompt it shortly after the Fort Kochi ferry accident that claimed the lives of 11 passengers who have been travelling from Vypeen to Fort Kochi (in a ramshackle ferry). I additionally met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in 2023 and apprised him of how it may be constructed 35 m beneath the seabed.”
Motorists eager to cross the 600 m lengthy stretch throughout the ocean mouth are utilizing the RoRo ferry service, for which they’ve to attend for an extended period and subsequently pay the fare. Even if toll is collected from motorists utilizing the underwater tunnel that has been mulled, they’d significantly save on effort and time, since they’d be capable to cross over to the opposite facet in 5 minutes, Mr. Jose, who served as Chairman of Mormugao Port Trust and as Acting Chairman of Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai, added.
NGOs just like the Vypeen Janakeeya Kootayma and others have, throughout the previous decade, been citing how such an underwater hyperlink within the passenger-dense Fort Kochi-Vypeen hall would catalyse enterprise and tourism actions within the Munambam-Chellanam coastal belt. This is all of the extra essential within the wake of the upcoming completion of the Munambam-Azheekode bridge on the Coastal Highway, linking Ernakulam and Thrissur districts.
While welcoming the transfer to construct the underwater tunnel, V.T. Sebastian, common convener of the Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi, an NGO that has been spearheading the reason for coastal residents, mentioned that warning have to be exercised to restrict the venture value, failing which commuters must pay prohibitive charges as toll. “For 13 years, West Kochiites bore the brunt of paying prohibitive tolls for utilizing the Thopumpady BOT Bridge. Care should even be taken to zero in on a possible alignment that may be executed with the least disruption to folks. In addition, sand being dredged from the ocean have to be deposited on the coastal areas which are vulnerable to sea incursion.”
Published – October 26, 2025 09:56 pm IST
