Kerala - Alappuzha

Slew of infrastructure projects on the anvil: VS

— PHOTO: By special arrangement

A landmark: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan flanked by Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac during the inauguration of the Pathiramanal Ecotourism Project in Alappuzha on Monday.

ALAPPUZHA: Kerala is gearing up for a major leap in its efforts to become the world’s premier tourism destination with a host of infrastructure development projects, some of which are in progress while more are on the anvil, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said here on Monday.

Inaugurating the Pathiramanal Ecotourism Project at Muhamma near here, Mr. Achuthanandan said one of the most significant projects would be the Kollam-Kottapuram National Waterway project, which would enable inland water transport right from Kovalam to Neeleswaram within three years.

The clearing of hurdles faced by the Vallarpadam Container Terminal project and the efforts to make the Kochi Metro Rail project a reality, apart from the Vizhinjam International Container Terminal project and the Kannur Airport, both of which would be completed in the next three years, would play a major role in taking the State’s tourism industry to great heights.

Tourism in the State had made large and encouraging strides over the last two years. The flow of foreign tourists to the State had jumped by 20 per cent last year while domestic tourism had seen a 25 per cent growth the same year.

The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation last year had registered the highest profits in over 40 years, while work on setting up a ‘Kerala House’ in Mumbai and Chennai apart from a Tourism Information Office in Mysore too was progressing, the Chief Minister said.

With work progressing at a fast pace on the country’s first marina near the Bolghatty Palace Hotel, Kochi, Kerala was moving into the top position in the country on the tourism infrastructure developmental aspect.

. Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac presided over the function while Mr. Achuthanandan laid the foundation stone for a Natural History Museum and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan laid the foundation stone for the Biodiversity Park at the ecologically fragile Pathiramanal Island. Revenue Minister K.P. Rajendran laid the foundation stone for a new Boat Jetty for the Rs.20 crore-project. District Collector V.K. Balakrishnan, Kerala Agricultural University vice-chancellor K.R. Viswambharan, Kerala Tourism Director M. Shivashankar and others also spoke.

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