Kerala's Vaikom boat jetty that welcomed Gandhiji gets a facelift: Details

Kerala's Vaikom Boat Jetty,  which resonates with the memories of the freedom struggle and the Vaikom Satyagraha, is being carefully restored while preserving its historic charm. In March 1925, Mahatma Gandhi arrived at Vaikom to participate in the Vaikom Satyagraha, disembarking from a boat at this very jetty. Honoured by Gandhi’s footsteps, this boat jetty is now being meticulously preserved as part of the ongoing renovation.

Special initiative
The renovation, costing Rs. 25 lakh, is being carried out under a special initiative by the Major Irrigation Department, with a focus on maintaining the site’s heritage significance. Currently, work is underway on the jetty’s floor, with the base slightly raised to prevent water from the backwaters from entering during high tide. The old boat jetty was originally constructed using teak and jackwood, featuring a jackwood roof and walls built from teak planks.

What's getting renovated
Damaged sections of the roof rafters have been replaced with jackwood beams and covered with sheets. The walls are being renovated using teak planks. Presently, the roof restoration and wall reinforcement plastering using mesh and M-sand have been completed. A wooden plank bearing the emblem of the Kingdom of Travancore, which was removed earlier, has also been reinstated.

Earlier, in 2020, the Irrigation Department renovated the platform. A new building was constructed near the old boat jetty, and operations were shifted there on February 11, 2011. It is from this new facility that boats now operate services to Thavanakkadavu. The ongoing restoration work is expected to be completed within three months, informed officials from the Irrigation Department.