The Central government has turned down a proposal from the Kerala government to extend the National Waterway-3 (NW-3) from Kollam to Kovalam and Kozhikode to Bekal.

The Centre has decided to first undertake development in the existing stretch of NW-3 and not to extend it further. NW-3 was declared in 1993 and stretches from Kollam to Kottapuram of West Coast Canal and Champakara and Udyogamandal Canals.

The 205 km stretch is fully operational with 24 hour navigational facilities and eight permanent intermodal terminals with storage facilities and mechanised equipment for loading/ unloading of cargo. NW-3 was further extended by 165 km in the north up to Kozhikode from Kottapuram along with three new national waterways connected to NW-3 under the National Waterways Act, 2016.

The new waterways include NW-8 between Alappuzha-Changanassery canal (29 km), NW-9 linking Alappuzha-Kottayam – Athirampuzha canal (40 km) and NW-59 between Kottayam-Vaikom canal (19 km).

The Kerala government has submitted a proposal for further extension of NW-3, from Kollam to Kovalam (78 km) in the south and from Kozhikode to Bekal (205 km) in the north. Further, for facilitating development of inland waterways in Kerala, the state government has suggested the formation of a new public limited company — Kerala Waterways and Infrastructures (KWIL).