Kollam, also known by its former name Quilon, is an ancient seaport and city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is 71 km (44 mi) north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. The city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake and the Kallada river. Kollam is the fourth largest city in Kerala and is known for cashew processing and coir manufacturing. It is the southern gateway to the Backwaters of Kerala and is a prominent tourist destination. Kollam is one of the most historic cities with continuous settlements in India. Geographically, Quilon formation seen around coastal cliffs of Ashtamudi Lake, represent sediments laid down in the Kerala basin that existed during Mio-Pliocene times.
The Kerala backwaters are a network of brackish lagoons and canals lying parallel to the Arabian Sea of the Malabar coast of Kerala state in south-western India. It also includes interconnected lakes, rivers, and inlets, a labyrinthine system formed by more than 900 km (560 mi) of waterways, and sometimes compared to bayous. The network includes five large lakes linked by canals, both man made and natural, fed by 38 rivers, and extending virtually half the length of Kerala state. The backwaters were formed by the action of waves and shore currents creating low barrier islands across the mouths of the many rivers flowing down from the Western Ghats range. In the midst of this landscape there are a number of towns and cities, which serve as the starting and end points of backwater cruises. There are 34 backwaters in Kerala. Out of it, 27 are located either closer to Arabian Sea or parallel to the sea. The remaining 7 are inland navigation routes.
Ashtamudi Lake, in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala. It possesses a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped water body, second only in size to the Vembanad estuary ecosystem of the state. Ashtamudi means 'eight braids' in the local Malayalam language. The name is indicative of the lake's topography with its multiple branches. The lake is also called the gateway to the backwaters of Kerala and is well known for its houseboat and backwater resorts. Ashtamudi Wetland was included in the list of wetlands of international importance, as defined by the Ramsar Convention for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands.
Kollam district, is one of 14 districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major Laccadive Sea seaport and an inland lake. The district has many water bodies. Kallada River is one among them, and land on the east bank of the river is East Kallada and that on the west bank is West Kallada.
Uzhavoor is an expanding town in Kottayam district, Kerala in India. It is just 32 km away from the administrative capital Kottayam District. Most of its residents are either wealthy farmers or businessmen. Many of the houses belong to NRIs. The tenth President of India, K. R. Narayanan, was born and brought up in this village. The newly expanded road which connects the city of Pala and other destinations such as Sabarimala to the city of Muvattupuzha passes through Uzhavoor. The town is 177 km from the state capital Thiruvananthapuram.
Alappuzha or Alleppey is the administrative headquarters of Alappuzha district in the state of Kerala, India. The Backwaters of Alappuzha are one of the most popular tourist attractions in India which attracts millions of domestic and international tourists.
Kerala State Water Transport Department (SWTD) is a governmental department that regulates the inland navigation systems in the Indian state of Kerala and provides inland water transport facilities. It stands for catering to the traffic needs of the inhabitants of the waterlogged areas of the Districts of Alappuzha, Kottayam, Kollam, Ernakulam, Kannur and Kasaragod. The department is headed by the State Minister in charge of transportation.
Karunagappally is a municipality in the Kollam district of Kerala, India. It is 24 km north of Kollam and 60 km (37 mi) south of Alappuzha. Karunagappally taluk consists of Alappad, Ochira, Adinad, Karunagappally, Thazhava, Pavumba, Thodiyoor, Kallalibhagom, Thevalakkara, Chavara, Neendakara, Clappana, Kulasekharapuram, Thekkumbhagam, Ayanivelikulangara, Panmana, Ponmana and Vadakumthala. The taluk is bound on the north by Kayamkulam, on the east by Kunnathur taluk, on the south by Kollam and on the west by the Arabian Sea. It is one of the fastest developing towns in Kerala and is part of Kollam metropolitan area.
The West Coast Canal or National Waterway No 3 is a 205 km (127 mi) long inland navigational route located in Kerala, India, which runs from Kollam to Kottapuram. It was declared a National Waterway in 1993. In addition to the main stretch, Champakara and Udyogmandal canals are navigable and connect the industrial centers of Kochi to Kochi port Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Shipping is coordinating the task for developing, monitoring and administering national waterways. It is the first National Waterway in the country with 24-hour navigation facilities along the entire stretch. It has been extended to Kozhikode by the National Waterways Act, 2016. The National Waterway 3 mainly passes through the previous Thiruvananthapuram–Shoranur canal.
Kureepuzha is a peninsula region in the city of Kollam, Kerala, India, located on the shore of Ashtamudi Lake. Kureepuzha is sharing borders with the village of Neeravil in the north. It is one among the 55 councils of Kollam Municipal Corporation(KMC). Kerala's only turkey farm and a regional poultry farm are at Kureepuazha. Kollam city's waste management plant is also situated at Kureepuzha.
Kollam KSRTC bus station is an important transport hub in the Indian city of Kollam, owned and operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) under the depot code KLM. The bus station is located in Taluk Cutchery and is close to Kerala State Water Transport Department's Kollam City water transport terminal. Long distance intrastate, inter-state and city buses run regularly from the bus station. The bus station comes under Kollam Zone of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation.
The Asramam Link Road is an important four-lane city road in Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. This road was formerly known as Airport Road or Aerodrome Road as it was the connection road to Kollam Airport, the one and only airport in the entire Kerala coast then. The road starts from Kappalandimukku near Polayathode in the east and currently ends at KSRTC, but is ultimately planned to extend to Thoppilkadavu in the west of the city. The Rs.114 crore worth third phase of construction includes a 3 km long flyover, which would extend it from Kollam KSRTC Bus Station to Thoppilkadavu, is going on now.
Asramam Adventure Park is an urban park in the core Kollam city of Kerala state. It was opened after 1980, on 48 acres (19 ha) of city-owned land. Located beside the Kerala's pride, backwaters of Ashtamudi, this place popularly known as Asramam Picnic Village. It is the main centre of recreational activities in Kollam city. The Kollam District Tourism Promotion Council conducts regular backwater cruises in houseboats, luxury boats and speedboats from the Boat Club. The mangroves near this park is very famous in all over India. So many endangered species of trees are surviving in the park.
Thoppilkadavu or Thoppilkkadavu is one of the neighbourhoods of the city of Kollam, located on the shores of Ashtamudi Lake in Kerala, India. It is an integral part of Kollam city. Presence of Ashtamudi Lake is increasing the importance of Thoppilkadavu as one of the tourism hotspots in the city. Thoppilkadavu is the western endpoint of Asramam Link Road in the city.
Cutchery or Taluk Cutchery or Taluk Kacheri is a neighbourhood of the city of Kollam. It is the 49th ward in Kollam Municipal Corporation. The place got the name Cutchery from a similar word in Malayalam: കച്ചേരി which means office/court. Kollam Taluk office is situated at Cutchery.
Transport in Kollam includes various modes of road, rail and water transportation in the city and its suburbs. State-owned Kerala State Road Transport Corporation buses, private buses, Indian Railways, state-owned Kerala State Water Transport Department boats & ferry, taxis and auto rickshaws are serving the city of Kollam. The city had a strong commercial reputation since the days of the Phoenicians and Romans. Ibn Battuta mentioned Kollam Port as one of the five Indian ports he had seen during the course of his twenty-four year travels.
Asramam Children's Park is a park for children, situated at Asramam in Kollam city, Kerala. The park is owned by Kollam Municipal Corporation, India. It is also called Children’s Traffic Park. This park is considered as a part of Asramam Picnic Village, main centre for recreational activities in Kollam city. A model Adventure Park and a 200-year-old British Residency are situated very close to this park.
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 and 78 km long Kollam-Trivandrum (Kovalam) State waterway project.
Vellimon is a village situated in Perinad panchayath of Kollam district in Kerala, India. It is situated around 13 km away from district headquarters. Vellimon is a peninsular landmass of laterite soil that is protruding into Ashtamudi lake the peninsula is having a 20 metre high nearly continuous cliff facing backwaters. Farming, fishing and coir manufacturing are major activity in Vellimon. Chief cropping in the area is coconut. The population is overwhelmingly Hindus and there is visible lack of entrepreneurship and organised activities in the area. There were two resorts that came up in Vellimon namely Snehatheeram and Cambay Palm Lagoon. Due to lack of co-operation and anti social activities from local communities both were forced to shut down. Cambay Palm Lagoon was situated in the scenic laterite cliff that overlooks Munroe Island this resort is currently vandalised by miscreants.
Waterways have always been an important mode of transport in Kerala. The total length of navigable route in Kerala was 1,900 kilometres and the navigable rivers constitute about 54 per cent of the waterways. The 41 West-flowing rivers together with the backwaters are an integrated part of the inland navigation system in Kerala. In Kerala water transportation through these channels are mainly small distant passenger services, informal country boats, freight transportation to PSU's such as Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore, Kochi etc.
