Chellanam tetrapod project: Kerala government approves ₹306-crore second phase-OxBig News Network

The Kerala government has approved the ₹306-crore second phase for the construction of the tetrapod seawall in Chellanam panchayat in Ernakulam district of Kerala.

The proposed project will cover the remaining 3.6-km stretch from Puthenthode to Cheriyakkadavu as was originally planned in the first phase, which was completed in 2023 at an investment of ₹347 crore. Though the first phase was originally planned to cover the areas up to Cheriyakkadavu, the project executor Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society Ltd could cover the 7.3-km stretch till Puthenthode following the revised estimate.

The decision on the second phase was taken at a high-level meeting attended by Ministers P. Rajeeve, Roshy Augustine and Saji Cherian in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday (July 2, 2025).

The second phase will also be executed as a Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) project. Mr. Rajeeve said the renewed administrative sanction for the project will be issued this week itself.

The second phase is being sanctioned to ensure the protection of the areas of the Chellanam shore without seawall.

The decision to implement the first phase of the project was taken at the first Cabinet meeting held after this government assumed charge. The original plan was to lay tetrapod for 10 kilometres and groynes on both sides. However, the project was restricted to 7.3 km due to the variation in the estimate midway through the project and based on an IIT report, said Mr. Rajeeve.

Steps will be taken on a war footing to cover the left-over stretch. A detailed project report (DPR) of ₹306 crore has been prepared. Only administrative sanction needs to be renewed since the DPR is already available. KIIFB will also issue the administrative sanction shortly, he said.

Mr. Rajeeve said that at the current market rates, the government will spend around ₹100 crore per km. He reminded that the State government’s “commitment” to the cause should be seen in the context of the Union government’s “reluctance to spend any penny for shore conservation.”

He thanked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Mr. Augustine for their intervention in approving the second phase of the project.

K.J. Maxy, MLA, Irrigation Department Additional Chief Secretary Biswanath Sinha, KIIFB Additional CEO Mini Antony also attended the meeting.

Chellanam is the worst affected among the 10 hotspots facing sea erosion in Kerala identified by the Irrigation department.