KOCHI: For villagers of Valanthakadu Island, located on the outskirts of Kochi, village tourism will come in as a big boon. Very soon, their dreams of welcoming tourists might become a reality. According to the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), all the tourism-related projects initiated on the island are 99 per cent complete and ready for commissioning.
An Ernakulam DTPC official told TNIE, “The council has come up with many plans and projects to make the district’s tourism prospects more vibrant. One of the projects launched was the floating restaurant and kayaking facilities on Valanthakadu Island. The aim was to turn the island into a gateway to village tourism in the district.”
As part of the project, a floating facilitation centre, which will have a restaurant and a rest house, is under construction. A boat jetty and a walkway are also being developed. The walkway will have solar lamps.
“Tourists can take a boat to the island and engage in village activities. There are souvenir-making cottage industries and tourists can witness the crafting of souvenirs. Fishing, visiting mangroves and tasting the local cuisine are among the interesting activities on offer,” said the official.
According to the official, the restaurant is all set for operation. “The only thing that needs to be done is to float tenders. The project comes directly under the Tourism department and it is the department that will be taking the lead on the matter. Once the floating restaurant is handed over to the DTPC, we will take the lead. It should be noted that the facility has been built with an eye on making it the headquarters of village life tourism,” he added.
However, even as the DTPC is getting ready to see the project come to fruition, the villagers are not a happy lot. “Everything is not as the officials say,” said Sadanandan, a 58-year-old resident of Valanthakadu. “My family has been living on this island since my grandfather’s time. And the development of infrastructural facilities that are being highlighted by the officials are all a mere mirage,” he said.
Pointing towards the structure that is supposedly the floating restaurant, he said, “It has been remaining like an abandoned structure for more than three years. As for the village tourism, nothing of the sort is happening here,” he added. Sadanandan was supported in his statements by Antony Ashanparambil, chairman of Maradu Municipality.
According to the chairman, all that is being said about village tourism at Valanthakadu is false. “Nothing of that sort is happening.” Another thing that he pointed out was the unfinished bridge across the Vembanad Lake. “The bridge stands as evidence of how people associated with infrastructure development draw up projects and proposals without zero knowledge of the geography or topography of the place,” he said.
The bridge stands tall as a monument of failure, he said.
“Nothing can be done about it. Instead of building the bridge across the lake at a place where the distance between the two opposite shores is comparatively less, they have gone ahead and built one where the width of the lake is more than 100 metres. Then comes the height of the bridge and the approach roads. The officials didn’t consider the need to acquire land for the approach road when building the bridge. While one end of the bridge stands on public land, the other end touches private property. And this is a sure shot to attract libel,” said the municipality chairman.