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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox canal
| name = Kollam Canal
| image = KOLLAM THODU.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = Kollam Canal at [[Eravipuram]]
| former_names =
| modern_name =
| original_owner =
| engineer =
| other_engineer =
| date_act =
| date_began =
| date_use = {{Start date|1880}}
| date_completed =
| date_extended =
| date_closed =
| date_restored =
| len_ft =
| len_in =
| original_boat_length_ft =
| original_boat_length_in =
| len_note =
| beam_ft =
| beam_in =
| original_beam_ft =
| original_beam_in =
| beam_note =
| start_point = [[Ashtamudi Lake]]
| original_start =
| start_note = in the North
| end_point = [[Paravur Lake]]
| original_end =
| end_note = in the South
| branch =
| branch_of =
| connects_to =
| locks =
| original_num_locks =
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| length_km = 7.69
| original_length_mi =
| length_note = Part of [[National Waterway 3 (India)|National Waterway-3]]
| elev_ft =
| elev_note = Ends at [[Paravur Lake]]
| status = Under renovation
| navigation_authority = [[Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation]]
}}
'''Kollam Canal''' or '''Quilon Canal or Kollam Thodu''' is a 7.7 km long canal system passing through the city of [[Kollam]], [[India]]. It is a part of [[National Waterway 3 (India)|National Waterway-3]] and 78 km long [[Kollam]]-[[Trivandrum]] (Kovalam) State waterway project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.expresstravelworld.com/201111/management14.shtml |title=In true Travancore tradition |publisher=Express TravelWorld |access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://edaa.in/benziger/kollam-thodu-the-quilon-canal-1 |title=Kollam Canal |access-date=26 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402112125/http://edaa.in/benziger/kollam-thodu-the-quilon-canal-1 |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==History==
The Kollam canal was built on 1880 and is a bustling part of 560 km long [[Thiruvananthapuram–Shoranur canal]](TS Canal) waterway project, also used as a means for transport of both people and goods, as an avenue for leisure and the water even used for irrigation and drinking.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/work-on-kollam-canal-gets-bogged-down/article2566594.ece |title=Work on Kollam Canal gets bogged down | newspaper=The Hindu |access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scorpiogenius.com/2009/08/ts-canal-passage-through-time.html |title=Restoring tunnels at Varkala would be a challenging task |date=23 July 2019 |access-date=23 July 2019}}</ref> Kollam Canal was an arterial inland waterway of old [[Quilon]] city. It was the major trade channel of [[Travancore]] state that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/restoring-tunnels-at-varkala-would-be-a-challenging-task/articleshow/70336741.cms |title=TS Canal: A passage through time - Scorpio Genius |publisher=Times of India |access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref> Giant cargo vessels ferrying different types of goods through this canal were a common view of [[Quilon]] city those days. [[Chamakada]] section of the canal served as a harbour for unloading the goods brought by these vessels to [[Kollam]]. Processed cashew from various factories in the ''Cashew Capital'' along with other goods from the wholesale markets of old [[Quilon]] city for export was the major export material handled at [[Chamakada]] that time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/renovated-kollam-canal-now-a-cesspool/article7013896.ece |title=Renovated Kollam canal now a cesspool | newspaper=The Hindu |access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref>

==Relevance and developments==
Kollam Canal is a part of Kollam Canal development project. Authorities have already spent Rs.13 crore on renovating and reviving Kollam Canal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kollam Canal Devpt Project to be Restartedl - The New Indian Express|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Kollam-Canal-Devpt-Project-to-be-Restarted/2014/01/04/article1981999.ece|access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref> There are several ferry stations and jetty along this 7.7 km stretch. The Kollam Canal development project is expected to meet the water transportation and irrigation needs of the people of [[Kollam Metropolitan Area|Kollam Urban Agglomeration]] in future.

The canal is connecting [[Asramam]], [[Cutchery]], [[Chamakada]], [[Pallithottam]], [[Kochupilamoodu]], [[Mundakkal]], [[Eravipuram]], [[Mayyanad]], Thanni & [[Paravur, Kollam|Paravur]] in [[Kollam Metropolitan Area]]. Along with Kollam Canal, [[National Waterway 3]] and [[Inland Waterways Authority of India]] are also serving [[Kollam Metropolitan Area]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kollam.nic.in/trans.html |title=Transportation - Kollam District |access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://esatjournals.org/Volumes/IJRET/2014V03/I18/IJRET20140318023.pdf |title=IMPACT OF URBANISATION ON WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS – A CASE STUDY OF ASHTAMUDI LAKE KOLLAM - International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology |access-date=26 March 2015}}</ref>

The transportation system through Kollam Canal is intended for providing facilities for passenger and cargo transportation at cheaper rates. The waterway has tremendous tourism potential too. It connects [[Ashtamudi Lake]] with [[Varkala]], [[Kovalam]], [[Kadinamkulam]] through [[Paravur kayal]] and [[TS Canal]].

A full-fledged intra-city water transportation system, as like the one existing in the city of [[Venice]] can be implemented in [[Kollam Metropolitan Area]]. The canal is suitable for launching [[Kochi Water Metro|Water Metro]] in [[Kollam]]. It is also a crucial link to connect [[Kollam Port]] with the [[Inland Waterways Authority of India]]'s Kollam Inland Terminal.

== Controversies ==
The development activities of Kollam Thodu is happening in a very slow pace. There are allegations about sand mining happening instead of channel development and misappropriation of development funds. The canal is used as dumping ground in various parts by shops and establishments in the area.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Pereira|first=Ignatius|date=2015-03-20|title=Renovated Kollam canal now a cesspool|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/renovated-kollam-canal-now-a-cesspool/article7013896.ece|access-date=2020-07-09|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> A bridge which was under construction over Kollam Canal near [[Chamakada]] called Kallupalam collapsed while construction injuring a worker.<ref>{{Cite web|title=കൊല്ലത്ത് നിര്‍മ്മാണത്തിലിരുന്ന പാലം ഇടിഞ്ഞു; കുടുങ്ങിയ തൊഴിലാളിയെ രക്ഷപ്പെടുത്തി|url=https://malayalam.samayam.com/latest-news/kerala-news/bridge-collapsed-at-kallupalam-of-kollam-rescue-operation-underway/articleshow/74205841.cms|access-date=2020-07-09|website=malayalam.samayam.com|language=ml}}</ref>

==See also==

* [[Kollam]]
* [[Buckingham Canal, Kollam|Buckingham Canal]]
* [[Kollam KSWTD Ferry Terminal]]
* [[Ashtamudi Lake]]
* [[Paravur Lake]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Kollam |state=expanded}}

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[[Category:History of Kollam]]
[[Category:Water transport in Kollam]]

Kollam Canal - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 09:05, 14 August 2023