A majority of the ambitious plans drawn out by the Ernakulam District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) are yet to take off, despite the annual tourist season all set to begin in Kerala.
The DTPC proposal to operate a few tourist boats to standardise service and to prevent fleecing by private boat operators from Marine Drive is over two years old. Currently, the only government firm operating tourist vessels in the city is the Kerala Shipping and Inland Navigation Corporation (KSINC).
Not even a draft of DTPC’s master plan to renovate and revive tourist spots in the city and its suburbs is ready. Most tourist locales in the district have been crying for upkeep.
Earlier this year, the State government had accorded administrative sanction for a Rs. 5-crore project to renovate the Royal Musical Walkway at Marine Drive. Another Rs. 80 lakh was earmarked for building Kadambrayar bridge. Beautification of Aluva town is also on the cards. The DTPC also envisaged an international convention centre or international sports resort at Ramanthuruth island. It also drew up plans to renovate cottages owned by the Irrigation Department at Bhoothathankettu.
Sources in the agency attributed the delay in beginning renovation works and in readying a master plan to officials being caught up with work on cultural events in connection with Onam.
“We have planned a workshop prior to drafting the master plan wherein suggestions from people’s representatives and other stakeholders will be compiled and feasible ones implemented.”
The tourism body had also drawn up plans to ensure better human resource management by providing performance-linked incentives and revising salaries of employees.
“Our Onam programmes went off well and the focus will soon shift to augmenting amenities at tourist spots,” DTPC sources said.
