Thiruvananthapuram: Ponmudi, the hill resort in the capital district, is to be made an eco-friendly destination at a cost of Rs.1.35 crore.

The Union Government had cleared the project, being implemented under the proposed Southern Eco-tourism Circuit, and provided funds for the first phase. The first phase to be implemented by KITCO, at an estimated cost of Rs.61 lakh, would be completed within a year.

"Minimum interventions will be made and care taken to ensure that the interventions blend with the topography. The aim is to make the upper sanatorium a family picnic spot," a senior tourism official told The Hindu .

The project envisages the protection of the bio-diversity of Ponmudi besides increasing its tourism potential. The resort, divided into four zones, would have facilities to aid tourist.

Zones I and II would comprise walkways and pathways along the cliff faces with fenced viewing decks and galleries. Zone III would have a parking zone and a play area. Pathways and view decks have been incorporated into the design. The last zone would have an interpretation centre, ticketing booth, and entrance arch and toilet facilities, etc. The interpretation centre and ticketing booth have been placed strategically to withstand high-speed winds that are characteristic of the resort.

Two check-dams for rainwater harvesting had been proposed in Zone IV. Thiruvananthapuram Forest Development Agency had joined hands with the Forest and Tourism departments in January this year to turn the Ponmudi into an eco-friendly destination by eliminating garbage from the resort. As part of the Rs.5-lakh project, an existing well has been rebuilt to provide water to the visitors. The Vana Samrakshana Samithi (VSS), which comprises 120 families, is in charge of providing visitors with the facilities.

Under the scheme, 15 volunteers of the VSS clean up the resort daily. Plastic has been banned in the region. A parking lot has been set up and an entrance fee introduced to regulate visitors.

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