THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Year after year the condition of the Shangumugham beach - one of the popular tourist spots in the state capital - is worsening due to severe sea erosion. Apart from announcing projects to face-lift the tourist spot, the Tourism department has failed to come up with a scientific solution to protect the beach from erosion and beach advancement.
The rough sea has almost swallowed the public amenities constructed by the Tourism department. The major irrigation department has abandoned the project to construct protection wall along the Shangumugham, which was announced last November due to lack of funds.
An official said that the Irrigation department has handed over the project to the Harbour Engineering Department as they don't have the budget to execute the project to save the tourist spot from further destruction.
The plan was to launch an Rs 7 crores project to construct a protective wall and stack rock sacks to prevent the further advancement of the sea. Sea erosion has literally battered the road, walkway constructed along the banks to facilitate the visitors.
"We had proposed a scientific study by IIT Chennai or the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune. There should be a study before executing the protection wall project," said an official.
Meanwhile, sea erosion has put on hold the Rs 15 crores project of the Tourism Department due to severe sea erosion. The Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society Limited (ULCCSL), the agency which has taken up the project has put on hold the project, which was launched by Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran in March, 2019.
"We have put on hold some components of the project because of sea advancement. A comprehensive study should be carried out.
The high tide line of the beach has advanced and a minimum of 50 metre has to be spared from the high tide line for development. work We have expressed our concern to the tourism department. Sea is at the worst now and once the monsoon is over we will have some clarity on the project," said an official.
