The sea has shaped Kochi’s history, economy and identity. It may soon reshape its tourism as well — if things go as per plan.
Experts often rue that the Queen of the Arabian Sea has a vast coastline and immense marine resources that are yet to be fully tapped for tourism. This irony may change soon with the state government announcing a series of marine sector development projects.
In the recent state budget, Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced Mission Samudra, an umbrella initiative that includes several marine projects.
Among them are the revival of the long-pending oceanarium project in Kochi and the setting up of an `80-crore International Maritime Museum.
The oceanarium project was conceived in 2008. According to Kerala Tourism’s official newsletter published that year, the continent’s largest oceanarium was proposed at Puthuvype in Vypeen as a `300-crore public-private partnership project.
An oceanarium is a large public marine aquarium that houses saltwater fish, marine mammals and other ocean wildlife for public exhibition, education and scientific study.
Oceanariums recreate marine ecosystems and are capable of accommodating much larger species.
Around the world, facilities such as L’Oceanografic in Valencia, Spain, the S.E.A. Aquarium in Singapore, and the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo have become major tourist attractions while also serving as centres for marine research.
The proposed oceanarium in Kochi was to feature a 250m underwater tunnel through which visitors could walk, along with dedicated habitats for dolphins, tortoises, sharks and corals, a touch pool, and a convention centre.
The project was envisioned as a major boost to Kerala’s tourism sector. Though it was revisited in 2012, it has remained shelved for more than a decade.
On Wednesday, the chief minister said the state expects investments of around `10,000 crore in the first phase of various maritime projects planned under Mission Samudra.
“The proposal to revive the oceanarium project has also been discussed at a recent meeting,” says Vypeen MLA Tony Chammany.
“Recently, the CM held a meeting regarding the revival of this project. Officials have been entrusted with revising it. A panel will look at the current estimates, the changes needed, and its business model. The fisheries department will be the anchoring agency, and KSIDC has been entrusted with finding investors.”
The project is expected to come up on 40 acres of government land owned by the fisheries department at Puthuvype. “Kerala has to look beyond conventional tourism,” says District Tourism Promotion Council secretary Lijo Joseph.
“We have tremendous scope for a project like this in Kochi, and we are planning something on the lines of the major oceanariums in Singapore and Abu Dhabi. It can become the centrepiece of tourism here while also serving as a research hub.”
However, with several ambitious projects announced in the past failing to take off, some social observers remain sceptical. “Even though the chief minister has announced this project, nobody really knows how it will be implemented. We need a blueprint first,” says D Dhanuraj, chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).
“A project like an oceanarium will require massive funding and proper planning. Let’s hope it does not end up as yet another dream on paper.”