The project, cleared under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, will develop thematic cruises on the Valapattanam and the Kuppam river.
The Center has sanctioned Rs 80.37 crore to develop a rural circuit to promote river cruise tourism in Kerala. The project, cleared under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme, will develop thematic cruises on the Valapattanam and the Kuppam river.
The tourism ministry will be developing basic infrastructure facilities like passenger and boat terminals, food courts and restaurants, bio-toilets, WiFi, solar lamps, watch-towers, solid waste management, CCTV, signage, drinking water, and parking facilities. "In addition, there will be provision for jetties, boat race gallery, open air theatres, angling yards, cycle tracks, kiosks selling handicraft, floating markets for local produce, etc.," said an official from the ministry.
The project, which will be operated under the PPP mode, will cover three such cruises. A Malabari Cuisine and culinary Cruise on the Valapattanam River, which will be known as the Muthappan cruise, will start from Valapattanam and end at Munambu Kadavu with an effective cruise length of 40 kms. The Theyyam cruise, on the same river, will extend from Valapattanam to Pazhayangadi along 16 kms. The third cruise, on the Kuppam river, will also cover 16 kms, stretching from Pazhayangadi to Kuppam.
A ministry official said that while the total length of the navigation route via rivers in Kerala is 1,900 km, river tourism still holds potential. "Kerala has 44 rivers and 7 backwater regions, and with water-based tourism getting prominence all over the world and the potential of these not yet tapped properly till now, there remains a huge opportunity," said the official.
Tapping Potential
An official of the tourim ministry said that while the total length of the navigation route via rivers in Kerala is 1,900 km, river tourism still holds potential
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "RIVER CRUISE")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}