KWA launches two guest houses in Idukki

Idukki: In a first-of-its-kind initiative in its history, Kerala Water Authority (KWA) has stepped into the tourism sector by launching guest houses for visitors. As part of the first phase of the statewide project, two modern guest facilities have been opened at Cheruthoni and Painavu in Idukki.The guest house at Painavu has been constructed beneath a newly completed 2.5 lakh-litre capacity water tank, built to address drinking water shortages in the region. The project was funded through the asset development fund of water resources minister Roshy Augustine. The building also houses new offices for the KWA sub division and section offices. The guest house comprises three suite rooms and two standard rooms arranged across two floors.At Cheruthoni, the guest house has been set up on the second floor of a 15 lakh-litre capacity water storage tank constructed under Jal Jeevan Mission. The facility includes two suite rooms, four deluxe rooms, and an office room for administrative purposes. A 200-seat conference hall named ‘Periyar' has also been arranged. Tourists visiting the nearby Idukki dam can avail of accommodation and conference facilities while enjoying a scenic view of the dam from the premises.Minister Augustine said the project aims to generate additional revenue streams for KWA beyond water charges The rent has been fixed at Rs 3,000 for suite rooms, Rs 1,000 for standard rooms, and Rs 10,000 for the conference hall. Online booking will be available through KWA's official website starting March 15.