Neendakara

Kerala Maritime Institute is a premier institute for Maritime education in the state established by the Government of Kerala at Neendakara in Kollam city, India. The institute was created by the Port Department of Kerala state to give quality training for students in Kerala. The campus is located on 10 acres of land attached to the Neendakara Port. More than 5,000 students have been trained at Neendakara maritime institute under the Boat Crew training programme. The institute has played a major role in reducing the number of state-wide inland navigation accidents. The headquarters of the institute is at Neendakara. The institute was inaugurated on 4 May 2010, by V. S. Achuthanandan, former Chief Minister of Kerala.

Neendakara port (Neendakara Fishing Harbour) is an intermediate port located in the Kollam district of Kerala. It is situated on the Ashtamudi Lake, which comprises both sides - Neendakara and Sakthikulangara. The port is used for fishing and cargo transportation. It has the capacity to contain over 500 fishing boats at a time. The history of Neendakara port dates back to the early 16th century, when Portuguese traders settled in Kollam. Their ships passed through the Neendakara bar, which is now the site of the Neendakara Bridge. The bridge is part of National Highway 66, which connects the village of Neendakara to Sakthikulangara across the Ashtamudi Lake. The name "Neendakara" means "a long bank" in Malayalam. The port is also known as the "Norwegian Project" because the headquarters of the Indo-Norwegian Fisheries Community project was based in Neendakara until 1961. The port has a natural depth of 12 feet and has a fish landing center that handles over 100,000 tonnes of fish per year.

The Neendakara Bridge, located on National Highway 66 in Kollam district, Kerala, India spans 422.5 meters across Ashtamudi Lake. It was inaugurated on February 24, 1972, by T. K. Divakaran, the then Public Works Department Minister. The bridge includes a footpath and connects the Chavara and Kollam areas. It is the second longest bridge in Kollam district.

Kattaka Kayal (Malayalam: കട്ടക കായല്‍) or Kattakayal is a freshwater lake in Kollam city in the Kerala state of India. The lake connects Vattakayal, a 36-acre (15 ha) freshwater lake in Maruthadi, with Ashtamudi Lake in the city.

Maruthadi or Maruthady is a coastal town situated in the city of Kollam, Kerala, India. The place is very famous in the state for its fishing activities. The presence of Kattaka Kayal, a two-km long stream that once served as the lifeline for most of the commercial activities at Sakthikulangara and the 36-acre Vattakayal are making Maruthadi an important tourism spot in the city.

Sakthikulangara is a zone and neighbourhood situated at the coastal area of the city of Kollam in Kerala India. It is one among the 6 zonal headquarters of Kollam Municipal Corporation.

Vattakkayal Lake is located within the Sakthikulangara Gram Panchayat of Kollam district, Kerala, India. The name "Vattakayal" translates to "circular lake" and reflects the lake's shape. The lake itself encompasses an area of approximately 40 acres. Bordering the lake are an additional 100 acres of agricultural fields, bringing the total area associated with Vattakayal Lake to roughly 140 acres. Geographically, Vattakkayal Lake falls between 8°56' North and 8°53' North latitude and 76°32' East and 76°34' East longitude. The lake occupies a central position within Kollam with respect to the surrounding areas of Neendakara, Kavanad, and Maruthadi. Historically, the land surrounding Vattakkayal Lake consisted of wetlands used for paddy cultivation. The water body itself was known for its abundance of fish and aquatic life. However, the current land use pattern reflects a shift. The previously vacant marshlands are no longer cultivated, and the water quality has been impacted by the influx of domestic waste, drainage channels, and industrial effluents. This has led to the proliferation of invasive aquatic plants like water hyacinth.

Panakkattodil Devi Temple (Malayalam: പനയ്ക്കറ്റോടില്‍ ദേവീ ക്ഷേത്രം) is a Hindu temple in Chavara Thekkumbhagom village in Kollam district of the Indian state of Kerala. Primary deity of this temple is Durga. The temple is managed by the Travancore Devaswom Board, Kerala. The Thalappoli in 'Meda Bharani' and the annual festival during the months of April and May are popular.

Sambranikodi Island is a landmass situated in the Ashtamudi backwaters of Kollam district, Kerala, India. The island is situated approximately 10 kilometers away from the main city of Kollam. The village falls in the area of ward 13 of Thrikkaruva grama panchayat and is at the southern tip of Prakkulam. The island in the lake can be accessed from Sambranikodi in mainland via boats services.

Kavanad is a suburban area of Kollam Municipal Corporation in Kerala. It is a major market town located at the northern suburb of Kollam City in India. It is coming under Sakthikulangara zone of Kollam Municipal Corporation. It is just 3 km from the port town of Neendakara. Kavanad, a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the Ashtamudi Lake has one of the highest land values in Kollam city. The town emerged as a major shopping destination in Kollam with the advent of a number of shopping centres. A number of vehicle showrooms are also located at Kavanad-Ramankulangara-Mulamkadakam stretch. The long anticipated Kollam bypass starts just a kilometer before Kavanad from the place called Altharamoodu and was completed in January 2019, Kavanadu had become a major vantage point en route to Trivandrum from Alappuzha and is a fast developing satellite town within Kollam Metropolitan Area. You can also find 24 hr working shops in Kavanad which is a rarity in Kerala. Kavanadu is a major tourist attraction of Kollam district.

Vallikeezhu or Vallikeezh is a neighbourhood situated at the northern region of Kollam city. It is about 5 km away from Chinnakada, the city centre of Kollam. Vallikeezhu is the 5th ward in Kollam Municipal Corporation council.

Sreenarayanaguru Open University (SGOU) is a state open university located in Kollam, Kerala, established in 2020 by The Sreenarayanaguru Open University Act, 2021 (Kerala Act No 1 of 2021). The first open university in Kerala, it was approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2021. The establishment of the university aimed to unify all the distance education courses offered by various state-run universities, such as the Kannur University, Mahatma Gandhi University, University of Calicut, and University of Kerala, into a single university. However, University of Calicut and University of Kerala continues to provide distance education for programmes that are not provided by SGOU.