Though the British colonial enclave of Tangasseri in Kollam city has lost much of its colonial charm to development projects in recent years, hopes for preserving whatever remains dawned on Friday when a team led by M. Mukesh, MLA; Mayor V. Rajendrababu; and Tourism Secretary V. Venu visited the enclave for probing ways to retain its past.
If the project materialises, it will enable Tangasseri to get a slot in the heritage tourism map of India. Already the Tourism Department has been given an administrative sanction for ₹2.5 crore to carry out heritage tourism projects at Tangasseri. The projects considered under the programme include revival of the Buckingham Canal, maintaining the Dutch and Portuguese cemeteries, protecting and preserving the existing heritage properties, and beautifying the 2,100 metre long Tangasseri breakwater.
Dr. Venu said his department would consider funding a project to start a museum at Tangasseri to showcase the history of Kollam.
