Waves take Valiyathura pier to sea bit by bit

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The recent sea erosion has weakened the already dilapidated Valiyathura pier and is eating away the elevated land mass  that  protrudes into the sea. Earlier, the 214-metre pier had around 50 metres of beach underneath it with the rest of the pier standing in the sea. However, now there is no beach underneath the pier. The recent high waves that damaged around 50 houses located on three rows at Valiyathura have  hit every inch of the pier badly.

The old office watch tower  located on the left side of the pier’s entrance has taken the brunt with its basement being washed away. Now the L-shaped property that leads to the pier stands off guard for sea erosion.

“We wanted the government to develop the pier for berthing of small fishing vessels in the long term. However, the sea has further damaged the pier which has been already declared to be in danger,” said Gilbert Adam, a local activist.  

In 2007,  fisheries minister S. Sarma had allotted Rs 2.5 lakh for minor strengthening of the deep sea pillar of the pier. However, nothing materialised and recently the district administration  warned the public not to enter the structure.  The present pier with 127 concrete piles was built in 1948 after a ship collided and damaged a centuries-old pier which existed here before 1800.