THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a significant boost to Kerala Tourism, the Centre has given administrative and financial approval for two projects with a total outlay of Rs 169.05 crore to enhance the appeal of water tourism in Alappuzha and the Malampuzha Garden in Palakkad.
The projects were submitted by the state tourism department, seeking clearance under the Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) drawn up by the state tourism department were reviewed by the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee.
The ‘Alappuzha - A Global Water Wonderland’ project, which seeks to integrate the water tourism of the region, involves a total cost of Rs 93.17 crore while the ‘Enhancement of Tourist Experience at Malampuzha Garden and Leisure Park’ project is estimated to cost Rs 75.87 crore.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision, Tourism Minister P A Mohamed Riyas said these projects will reinforce Kerala’s standing as a major destination in the country, boosting both international and domestic tourism. “The Global Water Wonderland project will firm up Alappuzha’s position as a global water tourism hub and bring benefits to the sectoral stakeholders and the local community in the entire south Kerala,” the minister said.
He recalled that he had taken up these projects with the Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat during his visit to the state capital earlier this month for the review of tourism activities in Kerala.
The Alappuzha project envisages beachfront development, canal-side transformation, waste management systems and more. The Malampuzha project, on the other hand, envisages the development of theme parks, water fountains, recreational zones, walkways, etc. Both the projects are to be completed before March 31, 2026.