Major tourism projects in Alappuzha remain defunct
Alappuzha: Many projects worth crores of the district tourism department are lying idle waiting for the permission of local bodies.
The Rs 1.53-crore Arthunkal beach park of the tourism department, constructed as part of the Alappuzha mega tourism project, is remaining defunct as Cherthala South grama panchayat refused to provide building number to the park.
The park was inaugurated by the then tourism minister A P Anilkumar on January 12, 2015.
“The park does not have water and power supply after the panchayat authorities refused to give building number. Equipment, including lights and buildings, are getting damaged. The panchayat has refused to give the building number citing that the park was constructed violating coastal regulation zone (CRZ) rules,” said a tourism department official.
The Rs 1.62-crore Thanneermukkom houseboat terminal, which was constructed a year ago under the Alappuzha mega tourism project, is also lying defunct after Thanneermukkom grama panchayat refused to give building number to the terminal. They also denied the number citing violation in CRZ rules. The terminal was constructed for houseboats to anchor their boats so that tourists can board and deboard from the houseboats at the terminal.
“The park does not have water and power supply after the panchayat authorities refused to give building number. Equipment, including lights and buildings, are getting damaged. The panchayat has refused to give the building number citing that the park was constructed violating coastal regulation zone (CRZ) rules,” said a tourism department official.
The Rs 1.62-crore Thanneermukkom houseboat terminal, which was constructed a year ago under the Alappuzha mega tourism project, is also lying defunct after Thanneermukkom grama panchayat refused to give building number to the terminal. They also denied the number citing violation in CRZ rules. The terminal was constructed for houseboats to anchor their boats so that tourists can board and deboard from the houseboats at the terminal.
The opening of Rs 1.8-crore Thottappally Beach Park has also met a roadblock after the local body refused to give building number citing CRZ rules.
On February 25, 2019, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan had inaugurated the Rs 7.8 crore backwater tourism project in Kayamkulam. However, it has also been lying idle after Kayamkulam municipality refused to provide building number citing CRZ rules.
The tourism department officials said that the projects fashioned for beach tourism and backwater tourism could be executed near the beach and banks of the lakes.
“ We have approached the state for its immediate intervention for saving these projects. Otherwise, the state’s exchequer will face huge revenue loss,’’ said the officials.
It was on March 30, 2013, that the Centre had sanctioned Rs 47.62 crore for the mega tourism project of the district.
The local body officials said that they could not give number to the buildings that were constructed violating CRZ rules.
Meanwhile, officials of the tourism department said that the Tamil Nadu government has made special legislations empowering district collector to execute projects for the safety of public even if local bodies deny permission for those projects.
“However, in Kerala no such legislations have been made so far,’’ the official added.
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