Work on the Malanadu-Malabar Cruise, linking eight rivers and backwaters of Kannur and Kasaragod districts, will commence soon with the construction of modern boat terminals and jetties.
Aimed at exploiting the tourism potential of north Malabar, the theme-based cruise will be on the Chandragiri, Tejaswani, Perumba, Kuppam, Valapattanam, Anjarakkandy and Mahe rivers and in the backwaters of Valiyaparambu and Kavvayi under the ₹325-crore tourism project.
Central aid pending
Though financial assistance from the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Union Ministry of Tourism is pending, it has been decided to go ahead with infrastructure building in the two districts. Union Minister of State for Tourism K.J. Alphons had said that the Ministry was ready to extend financial aid for the project, which will highlight 11 themes such as Yakshagana and martial arts.
Kerala Tourism has sanctioned ₹37.21 crore for the construction of boat terminals and jetties in the Mahe, Anjarakkandy, Valapattanam, Pazhayangadi, Kuppam, Tejaswani rivers and the Valiyaparambu backwaters. This includes the ₹7.88 crore sanctioned earlier for a boat terminal and walkway at Parassinikkadavu and Pazhayangadi.
Boat terminals are to come up at Chambad, a village near the Arabian sea and in the border of Kannur and Kozhikode districts at a cost of ₹94.55 lakh. Peringathur is to get a boat terminal at ₹1.11 crore, while boat jetties will come up at Monthal (₹1.11 crore) in Kannur district and at Madakkal (₹98 lakh) in Kasaragod district.
Kariyad in Thalassery taluk, which is famous for its martial arts centre, will get a boat terminal at a cost of ₹3.03 crore.
Dharmadom, already on the tourism map, too will get a boat terminal for ₹3.03 crore. Boat terminals havw also been sanctioned for Parapram (₹3.47 crore) and Pinarayi Company Metta in Kannur (₹3.47 crore). A boat terminal will be constructed at Mavilakadappuram in Kasaragod for ₹3.27 crore.
The terminals and jetties had been sanctioned under Kerala Tourism’s Upgradation/Creation of Infrastructure and and Amenities Plan and would be constructed in 18 months.
Tourists on the cruise can explore north Malabar’s traditional arts, culture, heritage, cuisine, martial art forms, and rustic life.
