Thannithodu: The Forest Department’s once-popular Konni–Adavi–Gavi eco-tourism package has been suspended for several months, leaving nature lovers and regular visitors disappointed. Of the two vehicles allotted by the Tourism Department, one has been stuck in the workshop for over a year, while the other is also currently out of service.

Launched in 2015, the package began from the Konni Eco-Tourism Centre, included the Adavi coracle ride at Thannithodu, and continued to Gavi — a route that quickly became one of the department’s biggest tourist draws and revenue earners. The forest drive, wildlife sightings, and scenic coracle rides made it a major success for years.

Initially, the trip was managed by the Mannera Thalamanam Forest Conservation Committee under the Forest Department’s Konni Forest Development Agency. Later, the committee was dissolved and the tour came directly under the agency’s control. The fare was revised, and the route extended from Gavi to Parunthumpara to attract more visitors.

However, the once-thriving project now lies defunct, with allegations of official apathy behind its decline. Sources claim that poor vehicle maintenance, lack of planning, and administrative indifference have turned a once-profitable venture into a loss-making one — possibly as part of a deliberate attempt to phase it out.

The tour used to start from Konni in the morning, proceed to Adavi for the coracle ride, and travel through Thannithodu, Aangamuzhi, and Moozhiyar to reach Gavi, before heading to Parunthumpara and returning to Konni. The 16-seater vehicle charged Rs 2,200 per person, inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and the coracle ride.

The 230-kilometre round trip, completed within a day, offered several highlights such as the 80-kilometre forest stretch between Aangamuzhi and Vallakkadavu, and views of Moozhiyar, Kakki, and Aanthodu dams.

While the Forest Department’s tour remains stalled, the KSRTC’s budget tourism cell has stepped in to fill the gap — generating substantial revenue by running regular services to Gavi via Adavi. Several KSRTC depots are now operating daily trips along the same scenic route that the department once proudly showcased.