Destinations frequented by tourists in Thiruvananthapuram and Varkala will be given a facelift as part Destination Development Initiative, envisaged by Kerala tourism. Kerala tourism has proposed plans for development and beautification of three locations in Ponmudi, Kovalam Akkulam besides Varkala. This was announced by state tourism minister A P Anilkumar here on Thursday. 

"The upper sanatorium area in Ponmudi lacks basic facilities. The Tourism Department has come up with a detailed project and the plan is to pull down the guesthouse building and build an eco-friendly structure in keeping with the aesthetics of the surrounding area," minister said.

The new guesthouse, tagged 'Ponmudi Palace - A Palatial Experience at the Hills', will be a built on a 40 cents plot at a cost of Rs 4 crore. The ground floor will have a reception area, car porch, admin-area and public zone. The ground floor and first floor will have eight rooms and two suites each. The restaurant will be on the second floor and have a view of the valley below. The third floor will have a board room and banquet facility besides six rooms as per a report in TOI by Sangeetha Nair.

The upper sanatorium area where tourists flock to catch the view of the valley will have a tourist amenity centre, which will be built at the cost of Rs 90 Lakh. Children's park, toilet blocks, interpreter's centre and rain shelter are the other add-ons to come up in Ponmudi. 

Edackkal rocks, the rocky area sandwiched between the Lighthouse beach and Eve's Beach in Kovalam, will be beautified in the first phase of the project that will be implemented at a cost of Rs 49 lakhs. The lifeguard station will be pulled down and a tall structure, that looks like the lighthouse, will be erected in its place so that the guards can have a better view of the beach.

(You need to login first to read complete news).
New User? Register for FREE!
» Back to Travel News