Bhoothathankettu boating resumes after six months

Kochi: Boating services resumed on Thursday at Bhoothathankettu, a popular eco-tourism destination, offering relief to visitors and local businesses after a gap of nearly six months. A trip to Bhoothathankettu has long been associated with boating through its scenic waterways, surrounded by lush forests and the rocky formations of the Periyar river. The services had remained suspended due to legal disputes and administrative hurdles related to the implementation of a new tourism project. MLA Antony John said the services could be restarted following govt intervention to resolve the legal issues that had delayed the project. "Now it's a perfect getaway into nature's lap for visitors," he said. With the hurdles cleared, authorities have introduced a fleet of boats to cater to different groups of visitors. The fleet includes one 95-seater vessel for large groups, one 45-seater and one 42-seater boats for medium-sized groups, and four 10-seater boats for families and small groups seeking a quieter ride. The resumption of boating is expected to provide a boost to the local economy, benefiting vendors, small businesses and hospitality providers who depend on tourist inflow to the area. Meanwhile, the Rs 25-crore irrigation tourism project being implemented by the Kerala water resources department is moving ahead after legal clearances. The project, to be executed through a public-private partnership model, includes construction of new boat jetties, infrastructure upgrades and tourism activities such as nature trails, kayaking, wildlife sighting and outdoor camping.