Thiruvananhapuram:  Shangumukham Beach, once the most popular evening retreat in Thiruvananthapuram after Kovalam, has been almost completely swallowed by the sea.

The road that once ran parallel to the shoreline and connected to the famed Arattumandapam now lies submerged. The beach, one among the three major coastal destination in the district, is fast vanishing in front of key government offices.

The gradual erosion of the 400-metre-long Shangumukham Beach was set in motion by the lashing of Cyclone Ockhi.. A road once ran parallel to the shoreline here, passing in front of the building that formerly housed a KTDC restaurant. Alongside this road stretched a 250-metre-long sandy expanse with seating facilities, which was a key attraction for visitors. Today, the entire stretch lies submerged. The benches and five high-mast lights here have all been claimed by the sea. According to lifeguards, the sea has advanced by nearly 50 metres over the past few days, swallowing even the pedestrian walkway.

Arattumandapam under threat
The Arattu ritual, marking the culmination of the Painkuni and Alpashi festivals of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, is conducted at Shangumukham Beach.  The Irakki Pooja (concluding rituals) for the idols brought from the temple is held at the Arattumandapam on the beach, a structure built during the reign of the erstwhile Travancore kingdom.. However, the advancing sea is now just a few metres away from this sacred site, placing the strcture at serious risk of being engulfed.

Canoes washed away
Several fishing canoes, which were left on the shore due to a prevailing ban on venturing into the sea, too have been swept away. These boats were parked near the Arattumandapam and three of them were completely destroyed by waves, resulting in a financial loss amounting to lakhs of rupees.

Diaphragm wall offers relief
The Shangumukham-Airport road was the first casualty of the intensifying sea surge years ago. Relief came in the form of a diaphragm wall constructed to act as a barrier against the waves. However, with even this wall being breached recently, traffic along one side of the road has now been restricted.

Work on the sea wall began in 2020. The first phase involved constructing a concrete diaphragm wall to protect the coast. The second phase focused on reconstructing the damaged road and backfilling the area up to the concrete wall to restore the old coastline. The project cost was ₹4.39 crore.

The wall was designed by the Central Road Research Institute, which calculated the wave intensity and speed specific to this stretch of the coast. Built six metres inland from the original road and spanning a width of 50 metres, the wall is anchored to the land using steel rods to resist coastal erosion. The road was then reconstructed by backfilling soil up to the new wall.

Tamil Nadu sets new model, builds new beach
While the Kerala government watches helplessly as naturally formed beaches are eaten away by the lashing waves, Tamil Nadu has taken proactive steps. The state has created a new man-made beach, Muttom Beach, located just 16 kilometres from Thakkalai. Developed by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department using ₹1.80 crore from Central funds allocated for lighthouse restoration, Muttom Beach is now a favourite among visitors.