Half a dozen tourism projects are being implemented in the district at a cost of Rs. Five crore, district Tourism Promotion Council this year.
Top on the agenda is the Thazhathangadi Beautification Project, being taken up at a cost of Rs.72.23 lakh. According to Jijo John, secretary DTPC, the project will be implemented by KITCO and work will commence in a month. The project being taken up along with the Kumarakom-Kottayam road widening project will provide a picnic spot for the tourists at the Heritage Zone in Thazhathangadi.
The project includes the construction of a 2.4 mt. walkway by Menachil river in Thazhathangadi which will be integrated with existing tourism destinations, especially Kumarakom. It will have car parking facilities at Alumood and Edayakkattupalli, a food court, an open cafeteria and modern toilet facilities.
The proposed walk way will form the core of the Heritage Zone which includes the millennium old Juma Masjid, much older Thalikkotta Mahadevar Temple, the half a millennium old churches. The walk way will also face the watercourse where the century old Thazhathangadi Boat Race is being conducted.
Another project which will get underway soon is the Rs.72.24 lakh Kodoor River Beautification and Puthuppally Pilgrim Aminity Centre Project. Once completed, the project will open a waterway from Kottayam to the famous Christian pilgrim Centre St George Church at Puthuppally.
However, the most ambitious of the projects will be the development of a trekking circuit from Elaveezhapoonjira to Wagamon via Ayyanpara.The Rs. One core project day trail will have three overnight camping station at these spots and the project envisages to provide facilities for 100 perons in a team.
The main attraction in the trekking trail will be the telescope tower planned at the Top Station at Illikkambu which will provide the tourists with breathtaking view of parts of five districts-Ernakulam, Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha. Food courts and toilets will be set up en route as part of the project.
The project once implemented would lead to the infrastructure development of the high range areas bordering Idukki and open a new window to the neighbouring district. The project would also help to integrate the torusim sector in Kottayam and Idukki, it is pointed out.
The houseboat and tourism centre at Kavanattinkara is also being implemented at a cost of Rs.1.66 crore. This will provide modern facilities for the house boat parking and also for tourist to board the boats.
