Date:01/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/01/stories/2008120157430100.htm

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Stopover celebrations begin in Kochi

Staff Reporter

Terror attack at Mumbai last week overshadows the festivities

KOCHI: The terrorist siege in Mumbai last week overshadowed the Volvo Ocean Race stopover celebrations in Kochi, which was officially launched here on Sunday.

Labour Minister P.K. Gurudasan opened the Race Village, housing facilities for the race members, officials and media persons and exhibition pavilions.

Scaled down

The celebrations planned to accompany the inauguration were scaled down. The Minister took a tour of the pavilions, which were under completion. He visited the Volvo company exhibition in the village and took the steering of an exhibit.

Mr. Gurudasan expressed pride that the world’s toughest ocean race chose Kochi for its stopover in India. The stopover would help the tourism industry and would be a boost to Kerala’s image as the State went into commissioning of projects such as the international container transshipment and LNG terminals.

N. Ramachandran, Chairman of Cochin Port Trust, said the exhibitions would be open to the public from Wednesday. The Union and the State governments were involved in making the event a success.

Cherian Philip, Chairman of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, and Mayor Mercy Williams were among those who accompanied the Minister. Knut Frostad, chief executive, Volvo Ocean Race, was present.

Over two acres

The village is spread over two acres of land on Willingdon Island, which houses the Cochin Port facilities.

The terrorist attack has forced the organisers to step up security. The visitors will be put through several layers of security checks and only those with security passes would be able to access areas closer to the yachts.

The port has commissioned two high-speed boats, imported from the U.S., to patrol the backwaters.

A few media teams representing the yachts arrived in Kochi a week ago, to lay the groundwork on media relations for the racers. Along with them came the logistics team and shore crew.

Leaving Spain in October and having called at Cape Town in South Africa, the crew members arrive at stopover ports over a week before the racers ‘catch up’.