A walkers’ plaza, cycle track, bamboo bridge, green bridge, landscaped garden and intelligent onsite water quality monitoring system figure among the projects envisaged by Kerala Tourism as part of the ₹128-crore rejuvenation and restoration of the Akkulam Lake.
Priority will be given in the rejuvenation and restoration project to removing the waste and water weeds from the lake and maintaining its cleanliness. Besides, the removal of plastic and other waste that reaches the lake, water will also be recycled to ensure quality.
A living lab and Intelligent onsite water quality monitoring system will be installed to test the quality of water in the Akkulam tourist village. Decentralised Waste Water Treatment System (DEWATS) and watersheds will be set up. A water purifying system will be installed in such a way so as to resemble a landscaped garden.
The small hillock in the Akkulam lake will be landscaped and will be converted into a green island and a natural water purifying mechanism will be installed.
The blueprint of the ambitious project to be executed by Kerala Tourism with funds from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) was submitted by Usha Titus, executive chairperson, Akkulam Destination Management Council, to Minister for Tourism Kadakampally Surendran on Monday.
The environment-friendly practices using modern technology have been worked out by the Translational Research and Professional Leadership Centre (TPLC) of the Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, here. The TLPC is a collaboration with Technical University Delft, Netherlands & IITM, Chennai, to promote programmes on bridging the gap between Research and Practice.
Public participation
The project would be executed with public participation, the Minister said after receiving the report modelled on the lines of the rejuvenation and restoration of eight lakes in Coimbatore. The ₹128-crore rejuvenation and restoration of the lake is in addition to the ongoing works in Akkulam tourist village to restore it to its old glory.
A sum of ₹4.93 crore had been sanctioned earlier for the Phase II development of the village that includes new music fountain, artificial waterfalls, swimming pool, landscaping, parking facilities, entrance , cafeteria, yoga and meditation centre and landscaped garden.
