Representational imageKumily: In a bid to attract holiday crowds, the State-owned Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) has proposed to make new additions to its boating fleet operating at the scenic Mullaperiyar lake in Thekkady.
The proposal, currently under consideration of the Forest Department, is to press two more 120-seater boats into service in addition to the five existing boats that cater to less than 1,000 people per day.
Expanding the fleet would allow around 3,000 tourists to avail the boating services a day, officials said.
The existing two boats of the Forest Department and the three owned by the KTDC, that make five trips each a day, carry up to 120 persons per trip. The new boats owned by the KTDC can take in 360 persons per ride. In addition to this, the Forest Department has submitted a proposal to procure a 120-seater boat.
In 2014, the Forest Department had obtained approval from the authorities concerned to operate a 150-seater boat. As the project got delayed due to technicalities, Krishan Kumar IFS, deputy director, Periyar Tiger Reserve, submitted a fresh proposal to the government by revising the capacity to 120.
The KTDC has proposed to give a share of 10 percent from its profit from operations in Thekkady to the forest department. If the proposal gets approved, the lease of the land in Thekkady would be renewed and additional boating facilities would be given to the KTDC.
A boat procured by the KTDC has been lying idle for some time for want of approval from the forest department.
The authorities are hoping to remove regulatory and bureaucratic impediments and launch operations of the new boats at the earliest.
