The Kovalam-Poovar belt, which has the Light House, Eve’s and Samudra beaches, satellite beaches of Pozhiyoor and Poovar, and several pocket beaches along the 17-km coastline, is to be redeveloped by Kerala Tourism “to a world-class tourism destination by 2042.”
The Vision and Development plan for “30 years beyond today” for Kovalam-Poovar Tourism Corridor is being prepared as the area has not witnessed planned development, as per the note prepared by Kerala Tourism. Unauthorised constructions continue to sprout on the stretch.
The coastal belt consisting of various beach destinations, starting from Poovar beach in the south to Kanwatheertha beach in the north, offers the best tourism products and Kovalam beach is the preferred destination of tourists from all over the world.
The government has accorded administrative sanction for preparing the vision document. Kerala Tourism has invited bids from consultants/consortiums for carrying out consultancy services for the study and preparation of the proposed 30-year master plan for the corridor. Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) principles will be used to decide the agency.
The Tourism Department has insisted that the development, which will be in a phased manner, should include social, cultural, and heritage aspects in addition to infrastructure. In infrastructure, civil constructions, roads and highways, water and power, parking, transportation, solid and liquid waste collection and disposal, water harvesting and welfare of local community have been included. Ready-to-implement development schemes are being envisaged.
Kerala Tourism has insisted that the primary objective should be to prepare a projected image of the corridor, considering the physical, environmental, social, and cultural attributes, and standard of living of local community. Benchmarking will be done with similar Indian or foreign tourism corridors. Preparation of a 30-year macro-level plan for tourism development of the corridor is the second objective.
The third objective is to prepare micro-level destination-development plan for five or six destinations in the corridor.
Deadlines
The interim report on macro-level plan will have to be submitted within two months by the agency concerned. The interim report on master plan and project report for destinations will have to be submitted within three months. The draft final master plan, both macro level and micro level, will have to be submitted in four-and-a-half months, and the final report, in six months.
