Kottoor elephant rehab centre gets Rs 113 crore makeover

With an aim to upgrade the elephant rehab centre at Kottoor in Thiruvananthapuram to international standards, the state Forest Department has inked an MoU with the Kerala State Housing Board.

The project, to cost Rs 113 crore, is expected to be completed by October 2020. The project includes the construction of enclosures for keeping wild elephants in herds and in isolation, special care centre for the calves, ponds to harvest rainwater, veterinary hospital, office complex, training centre for the mahouts, elephant museum, biological park, accommodation for the staff and mahouts, ‘mess’ for the elephants, canteen for visitors, toilet block, modernisation of accommodation for visitors, gardens and reforestation.

“The government will sanction Rs 105 crore for the project through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The construction will begin in December this year and is expected to be completed by October 2020. The detailed project report, engineering design and outlay have been submitted to the KIIFB,” said Forest Minister K Raju.

Construction will begin once KIIFB sanctions the money. The DPR was prepared by the Habitat Technology Group and RTF Infra Pvt Ltd. The Neyyar-Peppara Forest Development Agency is the SPV for implementing the project and KSHB will execute it.