Tamil Nadu Assembly elections 2026: A Congress bastion, fishing communities in Killiyoor seek adequate emergency measures

Located near Tamil Nadu-Kerala border, Killiyoor constituency in Kanniyakumari district reflects the cultural influence of both States, with the local economy significantly driven by agriculture and fishing.

Being the last Assembly segment of Tamil Nadu, Killiyoor has been a Congress stronghold. Party veterans, including Marshal Nesamony and Ponnappa Nadar, were elected from the constituency. However, between 1977 and 2006, voters elected their MLAs from Janata Party, Janata Dal and twice from TMC(M), before it split from Congress. An independent too was elected from the Assembly seat.

For the past two decades, however, the constituency has been a Congress bastion, with sitting MLA S. Rajesh Kumar elected from the constituency in 2016 and 2021 elections.

The constituency has around 15 coastal villages along the Arabian coast, with their fishing communities having long-pending demands. They include construction of a bridge across the Thamirabarani river, connecting Thengapattinam and Erayumanthurai.

Sagar, a resident of Erayumanthurai, said, “The fishermen from Erayumanthurai take a detour of around 8 km to reach Thengapattinam. If a bridge is constructed across the river, it will take less than five minutes to reach Thengapattinam.”

The project has appeared in the poll promises of every candidate for the past 40 years. At least in the forthcoming tenure, steps must be taken to implement it.

Anothe issue is the rampant dumping of waste near waterbodies. Solid waste management across the coastal and other villages must be properly implemented, as conservancy workers focus only on collecting waste from municipal and towns. “On most of the days, the workers do not visit villages, leading to locals dumping their waste near waterbodies, with the AVM canal being the most affected,” he added.

AVM canal, which was constructed parallel to the Arabian sea during the Travancore reign to prevent saltwater intrusion into coastal villages, is severely polluted.

“Every year, there is information that a few crores have been allocated to desilt and restore the canal. But, it still awaits a major facelift and immediate measures must be taken to restore the canal,” he further said.

Biju, a resident of Thengapattinam, highlighted the need for maintenance of roads to Thengapattinam from both Karungal and Marthandam. “The government has allotted adequate number of buses to Thengapattinam from both Thuckalay and Marthandam. But there has always been a delay in restoration of roads dug for various other projects.”

Another major demand raised by residents of coastal villages is the construction of Edappadu Road, which connects Eraviputhenthurai and Vallavilai, which was cut off by frequent coastal erosion. Traders of the region have also sought cold storage facility for seafood, as the region has hundreds of boats engaged in deep sea fishing.

Justin Antony, a resident of Thoothoor, touched upon the need for improved healthcare in the region, saying the Primary Health Centre at Thoothoor must be upgraded into a full-fledged hospital. Residents of the region are sent to the Government Hospital in Vettumani most of the time.

A Marine Rescue Coordination Centre must be established in the constituency and experienced fishermen must be involved in the Thengapattinam harbour expansion work, as they have practical expertise in navigating the harbour during rough sea conditions.

There must also be a sea ambulance and other essential emergency services to rescue fishermen, as a large number of them from Enayam and Thoothoor region are involved in deep sea fishing, he added.

The expectations of voters of the constituency, especially the coastal communities, are firmly rooted in development of the region.