Renovated Shankumukham beach set to open to public on November 1

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Shankumukham beach, which had been closed to visitors for the past several months due to coastal erosion, is all set to open this week. District Collector Geromic George is expected to release the order related to the reopening on November 1. The public can enter through the ‘old mandapam’ side on the northern side of the beach. In an inspection carried out at the beach recently by the tehsildar, it was assessed that the tourist destination is safe for visitors.

However, the construction of the diaphragm wall and other works to prevent sea erosion in the future is progressing and is expected to be completed in two months. District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) secretary Sharon Veettil told TNIE that the beach is all set to open to the public this week and only some paperwork is pending.

“The tehsildar conducted an inspection on the beach earlier this month and as per his report, the spot is safe for the public. So, the district collector is expected to give the nod this week and the beach will be open to the public with all safety precautions. People can get down to the beach through the mandapam side. There will be lifeguards to ensure their safety.

Besides, we are planning to introduce more facilities for tourists as well as local people who visit the beach. Mainly, all the wayside vendors will be rehabilitated in a designated space,” Sharon said.As the DTPC is gearing up for a comprehensive plan to make Shankumukham a tourist-friendly destination, the utmost priority is given to waste treatment.

The department is joining hands with the city corporation to start a solar-powered waste management system with the help of ANERT. This system is exclusively for the treatment of food waste. The beautification of the beach will be implemented in a phased manner.

The DTPC’s immediate plan is to place colour-coded bins for the public to dump the waste in. The department will also come up with a permanent solution for the treatment of other waste, including plastics. The project will be carried out under the auspices of the corporation, the DTPC, and the Navakeralam mission.

Other proposals near the beach

• Solar tree - An artificial tree that could give mobile charging options and radio transmission with the help of solar power.
• Food street - Discussions between DTPC and the corporation are underway to list out the vendors who are presently running fast food shops near the beach. They will be rehabilitated to a new place.
• Nightlife - The department plans to construct a mini amusement park. Streetlights will be installed to keep the area illuminated and vibrant at night.
• Sea view cafe - A modern cafe is on the anvil at the beach through a public-private-participation model by converting the Muthuchippi park.