Annual regatta to be held on August 30. As many as 75 boats, including 21 snakeboats, will participate under various categories in the Nehru Trophy Boat Race
Alappuzha is all geared up for the 71st edition of the Nehru Trophy Boat Race (NTBR). The annual regatta will be held on Punnamada Lake on Saturday The event will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at 2 p.m. As many as 75 boats, including 21 chundan vallams (snakeboats), will participate in the race under various categories. Besides the snakeboat race, competitions will be held in the churulan, iruttu kuthi ‘A’, iruttu kuthi ‘B’, iruttu kuthi ‘C’, veppu ‘A’, veppu ‘B’, thekkanodi thara, and thekkanodi kettu categories. Modern starting and photo-finish systems will be used in the regatta.
While boat race buffs are eagerly waiting for the snakeboat competition, the big question remains whether any club can halt the Pallathuruthy Boat Club’s (PBC) juggernaut. The PBC has won the title, rowing different snakeboats, in each of the last five NTBR editions. They lifted the trophy, named after the first Prime Minister of India, in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, rowing Payippadan Chundan, Nadubhagom Chundan, Mahadevikadu Kattil Thekkethil Chundan, and Veeyapuram Chundan respectively. In 2024, they won the title with Karichal Chundan. This year, the PBC is rowing Melpadam Chundan.
Other snakeboats and clubs competing in the race include Veeyapuram Chundan (Village Boat Club, Kainakary), Payippadan Chundan (Kumarakom Town Boat Club), Cheruthana Chundan (Thekkekara Boat Club), Alappadan Chundan (Velloor Boat Club, Mevelloor), Karichal Chundan (KCBC), St. George Chundan (Gagultha Boat Club), Karuvatta Chundan (B.B.M. Boat Club, Vaisyambhagom), Vellamkulangara Chundan (St. Joseph Boat Club, Kayalpuram), Jawahar Thayankari Chundan (Friends Boat Club), Nadubhagam Chundan (Punnamada Boat Club), Thalavady Chundan (UBC, Kainakary), Champakulam Chundan (Changanassery Boat Club), Karuvatta Sree Vinayakan Chundan (Mankombu Boat Club), Naduvileparamban (Emmanuel Boat Club), Payippadan Chundan II (Payippadan Boat Club), Anari Chundan (Kainakary Town Boat Club), Ayaparambha Pandi Chundan (KCBC B Team), St. Pius X Chundan (St. Pius X Boat Club), Niranom Chundan (Niranom Boat Club) and Ayaparambha Valiya Diwanji Chundan (Niranom Chundan Fans Association Boat Club).
Security beefed up
Security has been beefed up in Alappuzha in view of the event. Around 1,500 police and traffic personnel will be deployed on the race day.
District Collector Alex Varghese has declared a local holiday for all government offices and educational institutions in the district on Saturday in view of the NTBR. However, public examinations will be held as scheduled.
Meanwhile, Minister for Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh on Friday inaugurated the Nehru Trophy footover bridge, which was built by the Alappuzha municipality under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme. Mr. Rajesh said the bridge was constructed at a cost of ₹3.5 crore. The structure has a length of 59.8 metres. He added that a permanent pavilion will be constructed at Punnamada Finishing Point for the spectators of the NTBR next year. P.P. Chitharanjan, MLA, presided over the event.