Pilgrimage tourism in Kerala gets Rs 91.72 crore push

Ananthapura Lake Temple, Kasargod

The Union Ministry has approved projects worth Rs 91.72 crore for the development of Pilgrimage tourism in Kerala. The fund will be used for the infrastructure development of 147 pilgrimage centers of the state.

The proposals submitted by the Kerala tourism department have been approved by the Union Ministry of Tourism in principle. As per Kadakampally Surendran, the Kerala Tourism Minister, detailed project plans will be submitted to the Union Ministry in due course.

This project will be implemented as part of the third pilgrimage tourism circuit of the Union Ministry. Major Hindu, Christian and Muslim pilgrimage centers will be divided in to 7 clusters for enhancing the infrastructure facilities of these centers. Basic amenities for the tourists such as, community halls, dining halls, toilets, rest rooms, restaurants etc. will be provided at the pilgrimage centers.

Juma Masjid, Ponnani

Kasargod is coming under the 1^st cluster with an estimated project cost of Rs 10.91 crore. 2^nd cluster consists of Wayanad, Kannur and Kozhikkode with  projects worth Rs 9.29 crore. Palakkad and Malappuram will have Rs 9.03 core worth projects under cluster 3.

Ernakulam and Idukki come under the 4^th cluster with an estimated project cost of Rs 14.24 crore. Projects worth Rs 19.91 crore will be implemented for Kottayam and Alappuzha under the 5^th cluster. Pathanamthitta will have projects worth Rs 11.8 crore under cluster 6. Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram come under 7^th cluster with projects worth Rs 12.16 crore.

St. Thomasa Mar Thoma Church, Thiruvalla

Ananthapura Lake temple in Kasargod, Thirunavaya Navamukunda temple in Malappuram, Juma Masjid in Ponnani, Viswanatha swami temple in Kalpathi, Thali Siva temple in Pattambi, Paramekkavu in Thrissur, Temples in Thiruvampadi, Erumeli Ayyappa temple, Nainar Mosque at Kanjirappally, St. Mary’s church at Champakkulam, Marthoma church in Thiruvalla, Parabhrahma temple at Ochira are the pilgrimage centers coming under the project.

“The state will implement comprehensive developmental projects in the state with emphasize to pilgrimage tourism, which has great potential,” said the tourism minister.