Kerala - Palakkad   

Work on tourism projects to begin soon

PALAKKAD: Work on two mega-tourism projects at Malampuzha and Mangalam Dam in the district will start soon.

Minister for Tourism Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will inaugurate the work on the Rs.4.61-crore Mangalam Dam tourism project on December 20. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan will launch the Rs.4.82-crore Malampuzha Garden renovation project on January 1, 2009. Minister for Water Resources N.K. Premachandran will preside over the functions. Both projects are being funded by the Union government, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) officials here said.

“The Mangalam Dam is a new eco-tourism project taken up by the Department of Tourism. The work is to be taken up as per a Government Order (GO) issued on June 16, 2008 under which the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, has sanctioned Rs.461.67 lakh for the development of the dam as a major tourism destination. The dam is constructed on the Cherukunnapuzha river, a tributary of the Mangalam. It is located 48 km. south of Palakkad town. The reservoir is on the fringe of the forests. The major components of the project are Rs.65 lakh for a facilitation centre and audio visual room; Rs.99.24 lakh for waterfront landscaping; Rs.17.67 lakh for boat jetty; Rs.67.50 lakh for general landscaping; Rs.23.72 for island landscaping, etc. The Centre has already released an amount of Rs.369.34 lakh as the first instalment.

The Malampuzha garden renovation project is being taken up with financial assistance of Rs.4.82 crore from the Union Tourism Ministry, as per a GO issued on October 15, 2008. The dam across the Bharathapuzha river has landed area of 43.40 hectares for development.

However, at present, the garden and the river course cover only 15.27 hectares. The major works to be taken up are illumination of the park and the Governor’s seat area at an estimated cost of Rs.260 lakh; Rs.56.73 lakh for revamping of pathways and providing interlocking pavers, etc; Rs.35.93 lakh for boat-jetty and strengthening of walls of the canal bank; and Rs.65 lakh for soft landscaping, etc.

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