Several measures to protect heritage sites

KOCHI: Placing stress on preserving the heritage sites in the city, the district administration has announced a slew of measures for conserving the over 70-year-old Mattanchery Harbour Bridge and taking forward the second phase of the development of the Kumbalangi model tourism village.

At a meeting held here on Tuesday, the district administration decided to send the project proposal for the second phase to the state government for approval, District Collector M Beena said.

Kumbalangi tourism village, the first eco-tourism village in the country, will see the implementation of several projects like Clean Gramam, Kala Gramam, bio-toilet, bio-gas plants and preserving the canals in the village under the second phase. “As a part of the second phase, the park in the village, which is in a bad shape, will be renovated at a cost of Rs 14 lakh, Model Tourism Village Society president M P Sivadattan said.

These projects will be given special priority, and the District Tourism Promotion Council, headed by the District Collector, has entrusted the Kumbalangi grama panchayat with taking steps to implement various projects, he added.

Mattanchery Harbour Bridge

The meeting, convened by the Collector to review the project report on the preservation of the Mattanchery Harbour Bridge, asked a private agency to revise the project. The original report, prepared by the Kumar Group, was not in tune with the requirement of preserving the heritage site as it suggested steps which would destroy the antiquity of the historical site.

Discussion was held on whether the bridge should be handed over to a private agency or entrusted with the PWD for maintenance. The PWD has given in writing to take the responsibility of maintaining the bridge. The meeting discussed the possibilities of introducing a ropeway and deliberated on bringing in traffic regulations through the bridge.