Residents block highway at Kannamaly in Kerala's Ernakulam protesting sea incursion impact

Residents of the sea incursion-affected areas of Chellanam panchayat along the coastal Ernakulam district in Kerala laid siege to the Fort Kochi-Alapuzha State highway 66 at Kannamaly for the second day running, bringing traffic to a standstill on Tuesday (June 17, 2025).
A country boat and logs swept in by the waves are being used to block the highway. The police are diverting traffic on either side of the blockade, leaving the highway stretch through Kannamaly deserted except for the protesters.
This follows the highway blockade for over two hours on Monday evening after the sea incursion turned the worst since the onset of the monsoon and marauding waves swept into hundreds of households in Chellanam panchayat. The spontaneous protest is being organised by the residents and not under the aegis of any particular organisation. People hit the streets after water rose hip-high in many areas.
'Nearly 2,000 households across 10 wards in the panchayats remain affected, and at least half are flooded. Sea erosion was worst in Chellanam panchayat on Monday, and the situation remains grim today,' said V.T. Sebastian, general convener of the Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi, which has been spearheading the protest demanding a permanent solution to sea erosion in Chellanam for several years.
The Vedhi had to intervene when long queues of vehicles, including buses to and from Alappuzha, were formed on either side of the blockade on Monday evening. The blockade, which started at 4.30 p.m., was called off around 7 p.m.
Traffic diverted
The blockade resumed around 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Traffic from Chellanam to Thoppumpady is being diverted from Kandakkadavu via Kumbalanghi, and from Thoppumpady to Chellanam from Kattipparambu via Kumbalanghi.
The Kochi and the Alleppey archdioceses have pledged their support to the people's protest demanding a permanent solution to the sea incursion. The decision was taken at a Care Chellanam-Kochi meeting convened by archdioceses on Monday.
Hunger strike by priests
Rallies declaring the decision will be held across the coastal areas on Wednesday (June 18, 2025), followed by a one-day hunger strike by priests at the Thoppumpady BOT Junction on June 20, 2025.
The Chellanam-Kochi Janakeeya Vedhi has also called for a hartal on June 30 in protest against the delay in erecting tetrapods and groyne series in the remaining stretches of Chellanam to stave off sea erosion.

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