The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : `Government not to part with Halcyon Castle'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 09, 2006

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

`Government not to part with Halcyon Castle'

Special Correspondent

Detailed inquiry into sale of hotel sought

ANIMATED DISCUSSION: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Finance Minister K.M. Mani and Leader of the Opposition V. S. Achuthanandan at a meeting convened to discuss the Government takeover of the Kovalam Halcyon Castle in the city on Wednesday. — Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ministers, Leader of the Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan and people's representatives will visit Kovalam to work out a settlement of the Halcyon Castle issue.

This was decided upon at a conference convened by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Wednesday as part of a move to settle the issue out of court.

The Ministers and others will make an on the spot assessment of the issues surrounding the dispute between the Government and the new owners of the erstwhile Kovalam ITDC Hotel over the ownership of the Castle and the surrounding areas.

They will look into complaints about the hotel allegedly taking possession of public beaches and charging toll on roads constructed by the Government. Complaints about destruction of the compound walls of the Castle will be examined and a decision taken on the terms of settlement.

The hotel had expressed interest for an out of the court settlement after the Leela group took over its management recently from M Far Group, which had purchased the hotel from the Public Sector India Tourism Development Corporation.

Mr. Chandy stated recently that the there was no question of the Government agreeing to part with the Castle and 4.13 acres of land surrounding it. However, others issues will be sorted out to ensure the smooth functioning of the hotel.

Inquiry sought

Meanwhile, the Kovalam Palace Protection Committee has urged Mr. Chandy to press for a detailed inquiry into the sale of the hotel during the tenure of the NDA-led Government.

In a press release here, M. Vijayakumar, MLA, said the committee had also demanded that the Government immediately take over the Castle, 28 connected buildings and the land and to maintain the same as a historic monument.

The Government should also take over the Guest House, KTDC Hotel, post office, old police outpost and roads that had been lost in the wake of the sale of the ITDC property.

Kovalam beach and Eve's Beach should be preserved as public property and opened up for the public, he added.

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