Cochin Port to lease out open spaces on Willingdon Island for tourism, recreational activities
KOCHI: The Cochin Port, which beautified the 2.1-km-long waterside walkway in Willingdon Island, is leasing out spaces on the stretch for tourism, sports and recreational-related activities.
E-tenders have been invited for five open spaces, 30-sqm each, on license basis for a period of five years. The last date of submission of the bid is December 23. Only temporary structures which are aesthetically designed will be permitted in the allotted area.
The tender document and other details are available in the Cochin Port Trust website. The 20 metre-wide Cochin Port Avenue walkway situated between the Mattancherry BOT bridge and Kannanghat bridge was designed as a promenade where visitors can take leisurely walks and strolls.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has leased the stretch of land (as it is now owned by NH), for 30 years to Cochin Port for developing the walkway.
A sum of Rs 9.10 crore was sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism (MoT) in 2016 for the construction of the walkway, which include setting up of vehicle parking spaces, drainage facilities, gazeboes, toilet facilities, lighting, pedestrian bridge across the canal, landscaping and planting trees among others.