PATHANAMTHITTA: Gavi Eco-Tourism Project is poised for a major facelift and opened new vistas with the Central Government giving its nod for inclusion of the project under the National Eco-Tourism Circuit. The eco-tourism project, with Gavi as its nucleus and located about 90 km from here, has already started attracting around two-lakh tourists, including nature lovers and adventure freaks alike.
Though restrictions are imposed on the entry of tourists to Gavi, as the forest area is located in the Periyar Tiger Reserve, there is a huge influx of tourists to enjoy the breathtaking views and the verdant evergreen forests of the Western Ghats.
To woo more tourists and to give a fillip to domestic tourism, various State Government departments, including revenue, forest, tourism, KSEB and the District Tourism Promotion Council, are working on a detailed project report to be submitted to the Central Government for its approval. Revenue Minister Adoor Prakash told ‘Express’ that with the inclusion of Gavi under the National Eco-Tourism Circuit, the project would soon receive special status and would invite the attention of the world.
With the inclusion of Gavi, one of world’s rarest evergreen forests that houses a variety of flora and fauna, that is fascinating in and of itself, it would soon be the hotspot for tourists, said Adoor Prakash.
The Minister added that the Government has embarked on a project to include basic amenities for tourists on the forest stretch between Angamoozhi and Gavi. With the inclusion of the project under the Central Government, financial assistance for the implementation of basic facilities, including transportation, cafeterias, boating on Kakki, Kochupampa and Anathode, information centres and rest houses, would be a reality, the Minister said. Those who wish to pause enroute, the KSEB Guest House and staff quarters at Kochupampa could be used, he said.
A high-level meeting of the Government departments would be convened in Thiruvananthapuram for setting a coordination mechanism, Adoor Prakash said.