PALAKKAD: The Water Resources Department has been executing the beautification of the Malampuzha and Mangalam dams at a cost of nearly Rs 10 crore under a Centrally- sponsored tourism scheme but the pace of work needs to be speeded up if the renovated gardens are to be commissioned by March 2010.
“The tenders have been floated for the boat jetty, green house and for the modification of Japanese garden in Malampuzha and the work is in progress. The notification for the elections has delayed the floating of tenders for the other work”, said Malampuzha Irrigation division executive engineer John Pudussery. Similarly, at the Mangalam dam the work on the compound wall has been nearly completed.
Finishing touches need to be given for the VIP parking area, watchman cabin and kitchen house. The building of retaining wall as part of water front development is in progress, he added.
The major work yet to be completed is the construction of the facilitation centre and library which proposes an outlay of Rs 1 crore. The tenders for this work has not been floated yet. Similarly, the landscaping work is yet to begin. It was the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) which prepared and submitted a project report for the beautification of the Malampuzha dam garden to the State Tourism Department.
This report was forwarded to the Union Tourism Ministry which had sanctioned a sum of Rs 4.82 crore. The architect for the beautification work is Raghuraman based in Chennai. The major work include the renovation of boat jetty and the strengthening of the walls of canals at a cost of Rs 36 lakh, the construction of filtration plant and provision of drinking water, fountains, dustbins and seating for tourists at a cost of Rs 24.15 lakh, revamping of pathways and providing interlocking pavers /concrete tiles at a cost of Rs 56.73 lakh, the illumination of the entire dam and the Governor’s seat area at an outlay of Rs 260.29 lakh, improvement of existing green house for Rs 6.42 lakh, soft landscaping for 65 lakh, children’s play park at a cost of Rs 9.48 lakh and an amphitheatre at a cost of Rs 7.08 lakh.
The work in Mangalam dam involves a total outlay of Rs 5 crore. As part of infrastructure development it is proposed to construct a boundary fencing at an outlay of Rs 8 lakh which is almost complete.
The gateway, time office and watchman cabin involves a sum of Rs 16.55 lakh, a check in house at Rs 3.63 lakh, guards room at Rs 1.50 lakh, Rs 5 lakh for parking and the facilitation and audio visual room whose earlier estimate was Rs 65 lakh.