THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Sasthampara, one of the capital’s untapped and unexplored tourist destinations, will receive a major flip as the Tourism Department has allocated Rs 1 crore to develop the place as an adventure tourist destination in the state.
The Sasthampara which provides a panoramic view of the city and its suburbs along with offering the bird’s eye view of Kovalam, the Vizhinjam harbour, Mookkunnimala, Agasthyar Koodam, Ponmudi, the Sahyadiri Hills and sun-kissed beaches, has the potential to be developed as a trekking spot. With an ancient Sastha temple and two perennial ponds here, the destination will be an exhilarating experience for tourists.
Three mandapams, gates, steps, seatings, drinking water facility and protective barriers are the major works proposed for the development of the destination. Further, the existing snack bar and toilet facilities will be renovated in a year as part of the project.
Spread over about 13.3 acres in Vilappil panchayat, the development Sasthampara tourist destination will also give a major fillip to the development of Kattakada constituency which accommodates the tourist destination, said I B Sathesh MLA. When Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was the tourism minister, the effort to develop Sasthampara as a tourist destination began with the beautification of the area, he said.