Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Work begins on 25 Vazhiyoram centres

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

121 selected from 545 applicants

Thiruvananthapuram: The work on the 25 Vazhiyoram centres, being set up by Kerala Tourism as part of making travel to important tourist destinations in the State a different experience for the holidayers, has started and is expected to be completed within six months.

The work order has already been given to all the 121 units who have been selected by the Government appointed five-member committee headed by the Principal Secretary, Tourism. "We hope to complete the centres and throw them to the holidayers within six months," a senior official of Kerala Tourism told The Hindu .

The response to the Expression of Interest for the new venture was overwhelming with 1,500 entrepreneurs, including two-dozen women, from the State and outside evincing interest to the project. However, the department received only 545 applications.

Kerala Tourism has chalked out detailed guidelines for the selection procedure. A district-level committee with the Director of Kerala Tourism as convener inspected the proposed sites. The selection was carried out based on availability of land, entrepreneurial background and professional qualification of the applicant as well as his/her experience in the hospitality industry. The emphasis was on good financial background.

The ICICI-KINFRA, a joint venture with State Government, had formulated a model for selecting good investors. Of the 121units, the maximum of 18 units are in Ernakulam district and the least in Kozhikode (1). Fifteen are in Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram (9), Kollam (11), Pathanamthitta (2), Alappuzha (7), Idukki (14), Thrissur (100, Palakkad (12), Malappuram (10), Wayanad (6) and three each in Kannur and Kasaragod districts.

Nineteen per cent of the centres have come up in land bordering petrol pumps.

Of the 121 applicants, 78 per cent are in the age group of 20-45 years and 20 per cent in the 45-60 years group.

The venture, aimed at promoting quality enhancement in hospitality sector by setting up of wayside facilities, is expected to generate employment.

The centres will have a standardised design of Kerala architecture and uniform branding. Based on the facilities provided, the centres have been graded into three levels and rated as Class I, II and III. Of the 121 centres selected, 54 per cent fall in Class I category, 21 per cent in Class II and the remaining 25 per cent in Class III.

A Class I centre will need 20 cents of land and an investment of Rs.25 lakhs. It will feature a restaurant that can accommodate 30 persons, public telephone booth, Internet access and parking space for eight cars. The restaurant in Class II will have the same facilities as in Class I and will come up in over 20 cents of land but would have the parking space for only four cars and no Internet access. The investment needed is Rs.17.5 lakhs.

The Class III centre, to come up in over 10 cents of land at a cost of Rs.12.5 lakhs, will feature a coffee shop of 300 sq.ft among other things.

The department would ensure an effective operation of these units through a mechanism, according to the official. Appointment of employees in the centres will be met by the entrepreneur.

Kerala Tourism would conduct surprise checks to ensure quality of service and facilities being offered at these centres.

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