Kerala Tourism is gearing up to launch a ₹50-crore Travancore backwater cruise tourism circuit linking the brackish water Kadinamkulam Lake, the biggest inland waterbody of capital district, and the Anchuthengu and Akathumuri lakes.
A final shape to the circuit is being worked out by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Ltd (KTIL) to commence civil works this year, Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran said in the Assembly on Thursday, replying to demands for grants in the Budget for 2020-2021 for tourism.
Adventure tourism
The government is looking into the possibility of integrating adventure tourism and water sports for the proposed circuit, he said.
Anjengo Fort, Lighthouse, Asan Memorial, Kayikkara, and historical places en route to south of Varkala will form part of the circuit involving three lakes with Perumathura, 29 km north of Thiruvananthapuram.
A three-hour cruise from Kadinamkulam Lake to Akathumuri is possible if houseboats and speedboats are introduced and berths are constructed at Perumathura, Asan Memorial, Hanging Bridge, and the Panayilkadavu for boat operations.
Commencing from Kadinamkulam, the cruise will cover Perumathura bridge, Muthalapozhi, fishing harbour, Anchuthengu Fort, Anchuthengu lighthouse, Hanging Bridge, Asan Memorial, and Ponnumthuruthu (Golden Island), a privately-owned island in Akathumuri Lake, and conclude at Nedunganda Onnam Palam.
A ₹100-crore Travancore heritage tourism project to protect the heritage structures of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts will be launched this year. The process to select the consultancy is on and it will be launched this year as ₹10 crore has been provided in budget, the Minister said.
Considering the success of the Miyawaki afforestation project on the Kanakakunnu palace premises in the capital, Mr. Surendran said the model would be adopted for afforestation at 50 centres under Kerala Tourism this year.
Regulatory authority
The Minister said the proposed tourism regulatory authority would be set up this year and the draft Bill was ready. This would help put an end to the harassment of tourists and control the unhealthy practices in the sector.
Administrative sanction had been given for a ₹16.5-crore project to construct airport-model toilets at key tourist places.
