THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After a long gap, tourist centres have started welcoming visitors complying with the new protocol set by the state government. Within days after the government bringing in more relaxations in the regulations, the tourist spots in the capital have started limping back to normal after several months. However, the lack of dine-in services at eateries is becoming a huge concern for both the public and restaurants.
On day one of the reopening Ponmudi hill station received over 200 tourists while other tourist centres including Veli and Akkulam have also started getting visitors, giving a huge relief for the tourism industry. However, the popular beach tourism destination, Kovalam, is still on the path of revival. Renovation works are progressing fast at Kovalam to make the tourist destination safe for the tourists. The authorities are planning to ready the spot by August 17 while the new cafeteria at Samudra Park would be inaugurated ahead of Onam by the tourism minister.
Varkala, another popular beach destination, would start receiving visitors from Wednesday. Though the destination is shut for the tourists, many families and tourists visit the locations to enjoy the view from the Varkala clifftop.As per the current rules, persons who have taken at least one dose of vaccine before two weeks or who have RT-PCR negative certificate taken 72 hours before or who has recovered from Covid more than a month ago will be allowed to enter the destinations.
Concerns of Ponmudi
Ponmudi hill station, which is one of the most popular tourist spots in the capital, has started getting visitors days after the relaxations were announced. However, lack of dine-in services is a major concern as the visitors are forced to bring packed food or get parcels for refreshments. The tourist spot is expecting scores of day visitors during the weekend from now on. However, bad road connectivity is another issue faced by those visiting the locations. Also, the effort of the forest department to start an online platform to register for visiting the spot is yet to become a reality.
An official of the forest department said the hill station used to generate `1.5 crore annually. Though the KTDC was offering a stay for the tourists, the visitors were unable to explore the location because of the restrictions. Now with the restrictions gone, the guests at the Guest House and KTDC resort can now stay and explore the hill station.
“Ever since the pandemic, we had to shut down the location. The majority of the guests are day visitors. When things were normal, we used to get around 2,000 visitors a day and we had to send back visitors to avoid crowding. Normally, June-August is the peak time when we get more visitors. We are expecting more people during the weekend,” said the official.
However, the authorities are yet to resume trekking. “Now, the hill station is open only for day visits as there are strict restrictions even now,” the official added.The road leading to the hill station has suffered damage owing to landslips in multiple locations in the recent rain. A public works department (PWD) official said damaged spots have been identified in three locations. “For safety, we have taken temporary measures and have put up barricades in these three areas. There is one-way traffic for the smooth flow of vehicles. We have tendered the work. There is no damage to the retaining walls. The project is worth Rs 24 lakh and we expect to complete it within three months,” said the official.
VELI TOURIST VILLAGE REOPENS
The Veli Tourist Village, which is another popular spot, has been thrown open to the public. The miniature train — one of the key attractions launched last year — also resumed operations from Monday. The authorities are planning to host events during the Onam festival based on the decision of the state government.
An official of Veli Tourist Village said boating services have been resumed. “Onam is one of the seasons when the boating demand is high. During Onam season, we get up to `2 lakh daily from boating services alone. The village was renovated recently. There are many new additions including the toy train,” said the official. Veli is one of the locations where the tourism department hosts Onam events.
“The government is planning to organise the Onam celebrations virtually this year. The decision is yet to come on how they are planning to host the festival. We may host a few cultural events if the government permits,” said the official. However, it’s hard for the authorities to implement the current guidelines. “A majority of the visitors are families and people bring children who are not vaccinated. It’s a problem for us. We hope the visitors would be careful and decide not to bring children. But even if they bring the children, it would be hard for us to send them away,” the official added.
RENOVATION PROGRESSING AT KOVALAM
Though Kovalam has been opened to the public, renovation works are progressing fast . The spot has started getting visitors though the sea continues to be rough. An official of the tourism department said the visitors are unable to venture into the sea because of rough sea conditions. “The beach is open but the sea is rough and the visitors are able to go to very few beach spots where there are fewer waves. The work to renovate the pathways is progressing fast and the destination would be spruced up totally by September end. By August 17, a majority of the work would be completed,” said the official.