Varkala, Kerala, March 2026 – The Varkala Municipality has launched a major crackdown on illegal coastal constructions along the famous Varkala Cliff in Thiruvananthapuram district, following National Green Tribunal scrutiny and an escalating series of landslide incidents that have forced district authorities to ban parking, restrict vehicle access, and commission stability studies of the cliff face. In December 2023, the Varkala municipality compiled a list of unauthorised constructions, identifying 69 restaurants and cafes located within 10 metres of the cliff edge, with one establishment just 1.5 metres away. Varkala is located in Coastal Regulation Zone 3B, which restricts development to a distance of 200 metres from the High Tide Line.
121 resorts and homestays have been served notice by the municipality. Despite notices being issued, some establishments have continued operations with one resort continuing to function even after construction activities were halted following a cliff collapse below its building site.
A Geo-Heritage Site Under Structural Threat
Unauthorised constructions now dominate the cliff area, with many violating CRZ 3B rules. Rainwater and wastewater seepage from these structures exacerbates the situation, eroding the soft sandstone beneath the cliff’s top laterite layer. Improper waste management, including concealed pipes discharging wastewater, accelerates this process.
The NGT urgently sought a status report from the Geological Survey of India and other relevant authorities on the cliff’s condition. The cliff, designated as India’s 27th National Geological Monument in 2014, dates back at least 5.3 million years and stands as Kerala’s only beachside cliff. A Division Bench of the NGT noted extensive unauthorised construction along the cliff, including resorts, restaurants, parking lots, and a helipad, observing that such developments violate the site’s heritage status and threaten its structural integrity.
Location Context: Varkala’s Tourism Economy vs. Environmental Imperative
Varkala’s cliff-top tourism economy centred on cafes, resorts, yoga studios, and surf schools catering to domestic and international visitors, has expanded rapidly over the past decade, with much of this growth occurring in violation of CRZ norms. The district’s coastal erosion crisis has intensified pressure on Varkala as tourists displaced from Kovalam and Vizhinjam by erosion have increased footfall, compounding the load on an already stressed geological formation.
