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A
makeover for Bhoothathankettu dam
by Juhan Samuel
Kochi: Bhoothathankettu dam, one of the oldest existing European monuments of Kochi, is all set to boost tourism. It is getting a face-lift with artificial pond and a few other amenities. In its final phase, a conference hall and tourist huts will be built. Called the Bhoothathankettu Tourism Scheme, the area will soon find its place on the tourism map. The projects, to be taken up at a cost of rupees 56 lakh (126,840 dollars), are a boat jetty- cum-boat terminal complex, a restaurant, a tourist information centre and a toilet block. "The project is mainly aimed at bringing tourists from far away places into the interiors of the city, so that they can get a feel of the dam site. This is the first phase of development in Bhoothathankettu and the facilities that we'll provide are a restaurant, an information centre, boat club and boats and an artificial pond for the boats and some eco-tourism projects are also incuded in this phase," said Manju M., Secretary, District Tourism Promotion Council.
"The second phase will have a little more complex development which will have a conference hall and a few other facilities like a cycling track and more of eco-tourism products," said Manju. She added that the Bhoothathankettu dam, which irrigates 32,800 hectares of nearby area, was also being promoted as a tourist place, in keeping with the focus on spreading tourism projects to rural areas and generating jobs for the local people. Other places of interest, such as Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Thattekkad; Malayatoor and Edamalayar, are also located in the vicinity of Bhoothathankettu and a tourist circuit connecting them is possible. The aim was to provide jobs for people in these rural areas and create entertainment here if possible. Even without tourist amenities, some 1,000 people visited Bhoothathankettu on holidays, says George Joseph, Engineer, Periyar Valley Irrigation Project. "About 1000 people came on weekends and on normal days we get 200 visitors. Definitely after the promotion of the site there will be a considerable increase in the number of tourists. Attached to the reservoir we have boating facilities, peddle boating facilities and they can go to the old Bhoothathanketu through the forest. There will also be trekking through the caves in between the old Bhoothathanketu and the reserviour barrage area, which will be interesting for the tourists," Joseph informs. A pond, with the facility for pedal boating, was created artificially, in which tourists can take a 20-minute boat ride to the nearby bird sanctuary Thattekkad. As of now, a few private boat operators take visitors around the water body.
It
is a new experience to view the banks of the Periyar, dotted with teak
trees and bamboo shrubs. Various migratory birds can be seen flying. The
river does not go dry even during the summer. The council expects to get
Rs 5.5 crores for the second phase of development of the dam. An old myth
tells that this natural fortification of forests and hills was built by
Bhoothams (or ghosts) overnight. Hence, the name Bhoothathankettu (fort
of the spirits). Later, this natural topography helped in building a dam
here.
-Jan
24, 2006
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