A tweet from industrialist Anand Mahindra catapulted Kadamakkudy, Kochi's serene archipelago of islands, into the national tourism limelight in a jiffy recently.
His post read: "Often listed amongst the most beautiful villages on earth... On my bucket list for this December, since I'm scheduled to be on a business trip to Kochi, which is just a half hour away..."
Known for its natural beauty and tranquil backwaters, this hidden gem is now seeing an unprecedented surge of interest. Ironically, most of the city residents we spoke to have "only heard about, but not visited" Kadamakkudy, which is, as Mahindra noted, just about half an hour away from the city.
Clearly, the gem hasn't received the polish it deserves. Local residents here highlight the need for vital infrastructure upgrades.
A top Kerala Tourism official tells TNIE that an "urgent" 5-crore development plan for Kadamakkudy is on the anvil. "We have identified a few spots for setting up facilities like walk-ways, waterside seating, cafes, etc. Soil testing is going on. Soon, we will apply for the CRZ clearance," the official says.
Development need not mean an infra blitz, says Dilraj Nalukandathil, director of GDM Travels, a startup promoting sustainable community tourism. "Nature has already built a beautiful infrastructure there," he points out.
"All we have to do is to sustain that same. What is required is the setting up of natural barriers, walkways, cycling track, and mangroves, where visitors can walk around. Similarly, agri-tourism and eco-friendly homestays should be promoted. Kadamakkudy is known for pokkali farming and pisciculture."
Meanwhile, a 8-crore project has been mooted to initiate watersports activities at the main island, Valiya Kadamakkudy, where the panchayat owns 30 acres.
The Kochi Water Metro, too, is constructing a metro terminal at Kadamakkudy. "Work has entered the final stage. But, launch of services will take some time. Issues such as shortage of vessels and shifting of Chinese nets are yet to be sorted out," says an official.
Visitors to Kadamakkudy currently face the challenge of navigating a narrow stretch, of ten a single-lane road, that serves as the primary access point to many of its islands.
Local residents point out that this constricted entry leads to bottlenecks, especially during weekends and holidays when tourist traffic peaks.
"Historically, these islands thrived on water-based transport. Therein lies the solution. Water Metro connectivity will be a big boost for the place. The tourism department could also deploy solar boats. Another. possibility is bringing in house-boats, after dredging some shallow regions," says Dilraj.