KOCHI: In an effort to tap the tourism potential of Kochi and its suburbs, several tourism project proposals have been drawn up. According to the civic authorities, the Centre for Heritage Environment and Development has prepared projects to the tune of Rs.503 crores.

A Rs.100-crore proposal for an oceanerium, ropeway and the Queen of the Arabian Sea statue has been made for the Kochi urban region. A Keraleeya Gramam project for Valanthakad, near Maradu, at an estimated cost of Rs.25 crores, is also in the pipeline. The Kerala Village Rs.6-crore project of Thanthonithuruthu island, near Kerala High Court, strengthening of the model village tourism project at Kumbalanghi (Rs.35 crores) and Padmasarovaram lake garden project (Rs.20 crores), near Vyttila, are some of the other projects.

The project reports were made to be included in the City Development Plan being prepared for assistance from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Renewal Mission project. According to the funding pattern of the mission, 70 per cent of the project cost will be funded by the Central Government and 30 per cent by the State Government.

Kochi tourism

According to industry sources, urban infrastructure and other amenities targeting tourists should be developed. The available data on tourist inflow indicates that 3.46 lakh tourists visited Kerala in 2005 and the revenue generated during the period was Rs.7,738 crores. Of the tourists who visited the State last year, nearly 18 per cent visited Kochi city.

Plans are on the anvil for the construction of 20 modern tourist accommodation centres and a Rs.152-crore project has been drawn up for the purpose.

Grihasthali, a unique project designed for the protection and conservation of heritage homes in the city where the civic body will fund nearly 90 per cent of the expense required for maintaining them.

Removal of graffiti and installing signage will cost Rs.10 crores and development of public spaces into parks and landscaping them will account for Rs.20 crores.

Extension of the musical walkway up to Vaduthala (Rs.10 crores), tourism complex at Edapally (Rs.50 lakhs), development of Kumbalam tourism project (Rs.10 crores) and integrated tourism projects for Fort Kochi and Mattanchery (Rs.30 crores) are some of the proposals to be included in the City Development Plan.

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