A multi-crore tourism development project with financial support from the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) is on the anvil. The project envisages linking of prominent village and beach tourism destinations in Koyilandy and Vadakara Assembly constituencies.
Kitco, a leading technical consultancy organisation, will be preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the initiative named Malabar Tourism Circuit.
The project is expected to address several pending beautification needs of the region covering Thikkodi beach, Kolavipalam beach, Lokanarkavu Temple, Akalappuzha, Kottakkal, Sargaalaya Crafts Village, and Vadakara sand banks. A few more locations without basic amenities and road connectivity too are likely to be included in the project in consultation with the district tourism authorities.
“We have identified around 11 acres in the Koyilandy Assembly constituency alone for various tourism projects under the Malabar Tourism Circuit initiative. It also includes both private and revenue lands,” said K. Dasan, MLA, Koyilandy. He added that the Vadakara sand banks would have a number of aesthetically designed huts for beach-goers on completion of the project.
For the quick preparation of DPR, the earlier plan to add the Dharmadom beach as well to the Malabar Tourism Circuit has been temporarily put on hold. According to Mr. Dasan, the development of the Dharmadom beach will be undertaken as part of a separate project of the Tourism Department.
The DPR is likely to be submitted to KIIFB within a month. A preliminary report on major development proposals and cost of implementation is now under the consideration of the district tourism authorities. Since the proposal also includes further development of the Sargaalaya Crafts Village with a new light and sound show project, the opinion of the existing management too will be taken into account ahead of the submission of DPR.