KOCHI: Tapping the tourism potential, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) is all set to introduce waterway tourism from Marine Drive to Kadambrayar. DTPC is intending to introduce a leisure boat ride from Marine Drive to Kadambrayar. A trial run was conducted this year and the paper, to approve the proposal, has been submitted before the government. The things to be done for the development of the waterway include dredging some shallow portions, removing water hyacinth from a few places and reintroducing boat service through this water route. For promoting the waterway and developing a tourism hub around Kadambrayar, the DTPC has selected the place as one among the four locales for ‘Utsavam’, which showcases Kerala’s ethnic art forms. “An investment of about `50 lakh is intended for the first phase of the project. One of important things about the waterway is that it could decongest the traffic from Kochi to Pallikkara. House boats, speed boats and ordinary boats can be plied in this route. DTPC along with Destination Management Committee (DMC) will overlook the project and the basic infrastructure will be readied within a few months after getting the nod from the Tourism Ministry. A new DMC will be formed under the MLA and the work will be monitored by them. Currently, big boats cannot enter the waterway as bund created in Brahmapuram is blocking the route. The collector will visit the site to clear the work in Brahmapuram area,” DTPC official said. As part of the project, seafood restaurants and shops will be set up on the either sides of the river. “The work of the walkway is almost over. The boat operators in Thevara, Marine Drive and Pallikara are ready to ply their boats in this area. The proposal also was given for setting up DMC office on the northern side of Boat Jetty near the High Court of Kerala. The Kadambrayar is all set to become one of the tourist hubs of the Kochi city with few years time,” DTPC official said.
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