The sleepy village of Perumathura in Thiruvananthapuram district and neighbourhood is gearing up to emerge as a major recreational spot for the city folks.
The commissioning of the Perumathura bridge has bought the village’s tourism potential to the fore, with hundreds thronging the area known for its beach, coconut groves, backwaters and rustic life.
Situated 29 km north of the capital, the village has Kadinamkulam lake to the east, Arabian sea to the west, and Muthalapozhi to the north. The 259.7-metre-long and 10.5-metre-wide bridge, connecting Thazampally and Perumathura, also links the capital and Kollam.
The coastal connectivity has all of a sudden boosted the tourism prospects of Anchuthengu fort, Papanasam beach, Chirayinkeezhu boat festival, and Attingal palace.
The surge in tourist inflow has now prompted Kerala Tourism to develop Perumathura beach and create the requisite infrastructure. A Rs.3-crore project has been cleared for the development of the beach.
Walkway, ticket counter, toilet block, watch tower, gate and gate house, electrification with solar panelling, water supply, road, landscaping, and children’s play equipment are the improvements planned.
Director, Tourism, had sought administrative sanction for the Rs.4.61-crore scheme, but the Working Group on Tourism scaled it down to Rs.3 crore, sources said. Kerala Tourism has entrusted the Harbour Engineering Department with the works which will be completed in two years.
On both sides of the bridge, breakwaters — 470 metres and 520 metres long — are being constructed. The Harbour Engineering Department is also constructing more than 2,500 tetrapods to protect the wall from wave attacks. The Tourism Department is also for commencing adventure tourism projects at the village and a boat service linking Perumathura, Kadinamkulam, Pulimootil Kadavu at Chirayinkeezhu, Akathumuri and Kappil Lake.
Already, the boat club at Pulimootil Kadavu managed by the District Tourism Promotion Council has two ‘safari’ boats and four speed boats.
