THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to make the pristine water bodies of Northern Thiruvananthapuram work for tourism, the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC) will begin a tourist boat service between Kadinamkulam and Akathumuri near Varkala. The boat service will start from Kadinamk-ulam backwaters near Kazhakoottam. It will pass via Perumathura, Anchuthengu, Pulimoottil Kadavu, Kayikkara and end at Akathumuri.
“A boat club was started at Pulimoottilkadavu near Chirayankeezhu in 2015. That will be part of this circuit. Pulimoottilkadavu has one of the oldest post offices in the country. Letters used to arrive on boats from Anchuthengu. So this is a traditional, trade route and lifeline of the northern capital. The destination point at Akathumuri has been a vastly virgin lake,” said a DTPC official. Special jetties will be constructed in all the lakes. Food joints would be established in some of these floating jetties to make the circuit, a wholesome tour package, said DTPC officials. Boats will be 12 seater and 20 seater ones that would be procured through tenders.
“The footfall of tourists coming to Varkala has been increased. Many of them can be lured to the beauty of backwaters here like at Kappil,” he added. Similar boat tourism packages are being planned across major water bodies across Kerala, under a master plan prepared under tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran.
