I was fortunate to present our views in an important panel discussion on Unlocking Kerala Waterways. The other panel members included Jose Dominic (CGH Earth), Jobin Joseph (Spice Route Luxury House Cruises), Kaushiq K (Jellyfish Watersports), and Sajan P John (Kochi Water Metro).
A few key points we agreed upon:
- TieKerala needs to play the role of an advocacy group and urge the government to bring necessary changes in policy and implementation.
- Making water bodies free from debris, ropes, waste, and water hyacinth will not only make them swimmable but also ease the movement of boats (both cargo and passengers).
- The government should step in where the private sector cannot deliver effectively – such as deepening water bodies, building jetty infrastructure, improving access to water bodies, and providing common facilities like water supply and sewage collection.
While highlighting the areas for entrepreneurs to unlock this potential, I cited the suffessful model of Conolly Cruises near Thriprayar, where they built a boating center featuring a solar boat, kayaks, pedal boats, and other water sports activities.
Sandith Thandasherry 