KOCHI: The Onam theme park at Mavelipuram in Kakkanad is all set to become operational for the festival season. The construction of the park is underway and Ernakulam District Nirmithi Kendra, which has undertaken the project, is hopeful of completing the work by September.
Though there was a plan to set up a heritage park, it was cut short. Now only a park will come up in the area on 38 cents of land in possession of the Greater Cochin Development Authority on the Seaport-Airport Road.
“The final beautification work of the park is going on. This is a time-consuming process and we are trying hard to complete the same on time. The project was proposed by District Tourism Promotion Council. The project was sanctioned in March 2012 based on an estimate made in 2011. The construction work of the Onam park started on March 2, 2014. Owing to fund crunch, alterations had to be made to the original Onam theme heritage park proposal. Now a typical park is being built in the area,” said the project manager, Ernakulam District Nirmithi Kendra. A walkway of 6 to 7 feet width, benches, swing, sea-saw are the components that will come up at the park. A garden will be set up around the park.
“We also propose to build an open stage with a seating facility for 100 people at the park. With this the place will be ideal for conduct events during festivals and other cultural programmes,” the project manager said.
“The tourism potential of Thrikkakara is yet to be explored fully.
It has been a long pending demand of the residents to set up a cultural centre here. The residents do not have a place like the Changampuzha Park at Edappally to get together, celebrate festivities or organise cultural programmes.
When the Onam park becomes operational, we expect our long-pending dream come true,” said Thrikkakara Samskarika Kendram president Paul Mecheril.