THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The capital city is poised to get another tourist attraction- a miniature railway that will give visitors a comfort ride across the zoo and Kanakakkunnu Palace premises.
Tourfed, the government agency behind the project, said they are in the final stages of preparing a detailed project report. A miniature tourist train will also be introduced in Kollam.
Tourfed managing director Shaji Madhavan said the miniature train will be a value addition to tourism activities in both the locations. “For the past ten years or so, the city zoo or Kanakakkunnu has not made a value addition. The railway will fill this gap,” he said. The rideable miniature railway is a model railway that can carry passengers using model railway locomotives.
The train will start its journey from near the ticket counter at the Museum gate. It will then wind its way inside the zoo giving ample opportunity for passengers to view the various enclosures.
It will then enter the Kanakakkunnu Palace compound by cutting the road near the palace compound’s back gate. After a round of the palace compound, it will re-enter the zoo compound and move in a different route to view enclosures missed out in first ride.
The train service will be eco-friendly with the locomotives powered by an electric engine.
In Kollam, the ride will start from near the boat jetty located close to the bus stand. It will then proceed near the banks of the Ashtamudi backwater to Ashramam where it will tour inside the adventure park and children’s park before winding up the journey near the Government Guest House. The six kilometer journey will give the commuter a scenic view of the mangrove forests and the backwater.
Tourfed presented the railway plan to Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran, the other day. The minister asked officials to submit the detailed project report in a month’s time.