Vallarpadam is one among the group of islands, that form part of

Kochi Kochi (), also known as Cochin ( ) ( the official name until 1996) is a major port city on the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea, which is a part of the Arabian Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of K ...

, in the

state of Kerala State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. It is situated in the Vembanad Lake, locally known as The Kochi Lake and has a population of over 10,000. ''Vallarpadam'' is one of the two islands, the other being Willingdon Island, around which the

Port of Kochi Cochin Port or Kochi Port is a major port on the Arabian Sea – Laccadive Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route in the city of Kochi and is one of the largest ports in India. It is also the first transshipment port in India. The port lies on two ...

is situated. The International Container Transshipment Terminal of the port is situated entirely in ''Vallarpadam'' island. Vypin island lies on its west side and

Mulavukad Mulavukad, also known locally as Bolgatty Island, is one of the islands that forms part of the city of Kochi in Kerala, India. It is situated in the Mulavukad Grama Panchayat. Vypin island and Vallarpadam island lie on its west side and Va ...

island lies to its east.

Road transport

Vallarpadam is connected by the

Goshree bridges Goshree bridges is a system of bridges that link the mainland side of the city of Kochi to the islands lying to the north of the backwaters. It provides the vital road connectivity to the islands of Bolgatty and Vallarpadam and also links the wes ...

with the city center and Vypin island. Private Buses, state government owned buses and auto rickshaws ply between the island and Kochi city. The NH 47 C, which is a four lane one, connects Vallarpadam to the National Highway 47 at Kalamassery jn which is about away. Vallarpadam is easily accessible from both NH 17 and NH 47.

Rail transport

Since 2009, Vallarpadam is connected with

Edapally Edappally or Idappalli is a region in the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is a major commercial centre as well as a prominent residential region. Edappally junction is one of the busiest junctions in the city. History Edappally in Englis ...

Railway Station with a 4620m long rail bridge.Longest Rail Bridge in India Nearing Completion - Railway Technology
/ref> The rail connectivity is entirely for transporting containers from the International Container Transshipment Terminal.

Economy

70% of the island consists of paddy fields; the economy principally consists of inland fishing by traditional methods and cultivation of

rice Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...

. Fishing using specially prepared net, called Valakettu, is the major income for the fisherman community called as Dheevara.

Places of interest

The Basilica of Our Lady of Ransom at Vallarpadam is a major Catholic pilgrim center in the State. Adikkandam Bhagavathy Temple, is a famous bhagavathy temple situated in the southern part of vallarpadam Island, called Panambukad.

Location

References

External links

VALLARPADAM: Hub of Kerala’s development
{{Tourism in Kerala Geography of Kochi Neighbourhoods in Kochi Islands of Kerala