Geetha Hemachandran has taken charge as chairperson of Varkala municipality and has signalled that welfare measures and the completion of existing projects will be the administration’s immediate focus. Hemachandran, a CPI(M) leader, succeeds K.M. Laji after the Left Democratic Front (LDF) strengthened its position in the municipality this year.
Varkala municipality priorities
With the LDF improving its tally to 16 seats from 12 in 2020, the new council has made clear it will concentrate on finishing work left by the previous term. Hemachandran highlighted several projects that require quick follow-through. The She Lodge adjacent to the railway station, for example, has been inaugurated but is not yet operational. The municipality’s newly inaugurated crematorium also needs a generator to ensure uninterrupted service.
Hemachandran said staff shortages are a pressing problem that must be addressed to guarantee smooth municipal functioning. Recruiting or reallocating personnel, she added, will be among the early administrative steps to improve service delivery across the coastal town.
Varkala is a significant tourist destination known for its distinctive cliff formations, and that status brings added responsibilities. The chairperson said protecting the cliffs will be handled through a series of incremental steps, recognising the complexity of the task where much of the shoreline is privately held. The municipality intends to pursue practical, phased measures rather than sweeping interventions.
On urban services, the municipality reports an effective waste management system that collects and segregates refuse daily from tourist areas. Hemachandran called for greater public participation to fine-tune the mechanism and boost overall cleanliness. Enhanced community engagement, she suggested, would improve outcomes without large capital expenditure.
Water supply remains on the agenda. The municipality expects to leverage the AMRUT scheme to improve drinking water infrastructure and service reliability. Hemachandran said aligning municipal projects with state and central schemes will be central to delivering measurable improvements for residents.
Election figures show the BJP-led NDA’s tally slipping slightly and the Congress-led UDF losing ground, while independents secured two seats. Hemachandran, now on her third stint as a councillor, framed the new term as an opportunity to build on ongoing initiatives rather than to pursue a programme of abrupt change.
Her early priorities signal a pragmatic approach: complete pending projects, shore up municipal staffing, enhance community involvement in waste management, and pursue step-by-step measures to protect the cliffs and strengthen water supply. If implemented, these actions should stabilise municipal services and address issues that matter to both residents and visitors.
Key Takeaways:
- Varkala municipality priorities focus on completing ongoing projects and prioritising welfare under new chairperson Geetha Hemachandran.
- Immediate tasks include activating the She Lodge, equipping the new crematorium, and addressing staff shortages to improve service delivery.
- Waste collection from tourist spots is steady but the municipality seeks greater public participation to refine the system.
- Cliff protection and improved drinking water supply through the AMRUT scheme are planned as phased, practical interventions.
