Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Facelift for Ponmudi soon

Photo: C. Ratheesh Kumar

IDEAL SPOT: An active monsoon unravels the misty heights of Ponmudi, a hill resort 61 km away from Thiruvananthapuram.

Thiruvananthapuram: The idyllic hill resort of Ponmudi in the district would get a face-lift with the Rs.2.75-crore beautification project to be taken up by Kerala Tourism with the assistance of Union Ministry of Tourism.

Construction of walkways, play area for children, parking area, landscaping, beautification and electrification will be taken up in the hill resort under the centrally-funded project.

View towers will be set up to enable tourists to view the tiny springs, rivulets and the tea estates en route and to enjoy the panoramic view from Ponmudi, a tourism official told The Hindu.

Located 915 metres above the mean sea-level and two-and-a-half hours’ drive from the city, Ponmudi is perhaps second only to Munnar in scenic beauty.

The conical green roof of the granite cottages and rooms, designed by architect Laurie Baker, blends with the scenery and resembles small hillocks themselves.

Minister for Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will kick off the beautification work at a function in Ponmudi on June 18. The beautification work would be executed by KITCO.

The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) is to set up a premium resort in Ponmudi to solve the accommodation problem, according to Chairman of KTDC Cherian Philip.

For this, the KTDC will renovate the newly constructed 13 wooden cottages and the old six granite cottages at a cost of Rs.2 crore. The resort will have 30 rooms with all modern facilities.

Already, Kerala Tourism had handed over the wooden cottages constructed four years ago under a Centrally-sponsored scheme and the granite cottages to the KTDC.

The wooden cottages were constructed along the slopes of the hill facing the existing guest house at a cost of Rs.1.13 crore.

Each wooden cottage constructed on concrete pillars has a floor area of 300.sq.ft each.

A KTDC official said the existing seminar hall will be converted into restaurant to seat 50 diners at a time.

The beer parlour being run by KTDC will be renovated and will sport an elegant look. The surrounding areas of the cottages will be fenced as part of enhancing the security.

To ensure uninterrupted power supply to the cottages and surrounding areas, the KTDC will install generators in the resort.

The hill resort has been attracting few tourists these days owing to poor infrastructure facilities, lack of good accommodation, communication and recreational facilities. Kerala Tourism will continue to man the Government Guest House, the official said. Already, the Directorate of Ecotourism has commenced a Rs.1.35-crore centrally funded project to protect the biodiversity of Ponmudi and to make it an eco-friendly destination.

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