As the rain hits the waters, ripples dance on the flooded paddy fields, blurring the reflections of coconut palms. Chinese fishing nets stand silhouetted against the grey, cloudy sky.
Kadamakkudy during monsoons is a paradise on earth.
Scattered across the tranquil backwaters of Vembanad Lake, Kadamakkudy is a cluster of 14 islands — Valiya Kadamakkudy, Murikkal, Palyam Thuruth, Pizhala, Cheriya Kadamakudy, Pulikkapuram, Moolampilly, Puthussery, Chariyam Thuruth, Chennur, Kothad, Korambadam, Kandanad and Karikkad Thuruthu.
Often deemed as one of Kerala’s most picturesque villages, it attracts hundreds of visitors every week eager to catch a glimpse of island way of life.
Yet the island’s tourism potential remains largely untapped due to inadequate infrastructure as its residents wait for development projects that gets stuck on papers.
“The attention Kadamakkudy receives, and the growing interest in tourism, is a boon for local communities,” says M S Antony, president of the panchayat.
“However, the issue we face is that we are not able to utilise it due to lack of infrastructure development in the islands,” he says.
Several tourism projects have been proposed for the the region, and the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GIDA) has kept aside funds up to `7 crore for ‘Rural Tourism’, he adds.
Under the project, basic facilities like proper parking grounds, roads, bridges and toilet facilities are planned in the region.
“However, except for a few of the government road and bridge construction projects, nothing major has taken shape due to hurdles such as difficulty in land acquisition,” he adds.
Currently, with the footfall of visitors increasing, the lack of proper facilities is leading to unwanted pollution, cleanliness issues and constant traffic jams in the region.
The island also awaits the commencement of its water metro services. It was supposed to begin this March but was later pushed to June. Now, we are entering July, but it hasn’t taken off.
The water metro station remains incomplete. Delays in widening the approach road is also another issue.
Despite these concerns, Kadamakkudy and its residents continue to welcome visitors into their island way of living.