Travel Biz Monitor :: Indian Railways gives in-principle approval to declare Bekal Fort as Kerala's first tourist railway station

Indian Railways gives in-principle approval to declare Bekal Fort as Kerala's first tourist railway station By TBM Staff | Mumbai

According to officials from the Tourism Department, Government of Kerala, a proposal has been submitted to the Indian Railways to announce Bekal Fort station as the first tourist railway station in the state, and the same has been agreed to in principle. "Once this is announced, the railway station here will be developed to international standards with modern amenities. The project is estimated to cost Rs 11.7 crore," an official was quoted as saying in a report by P Sudhakaran in The Times of India. A cultural centre of global standards will also come up at Bekal in the near future, for which the government has sanctioned a fund of Rs 4.5 crore. Apart from a museum inside the Bekal Fort, a light and sound show is also under consideration. Both will showcase the cultural tradition of the town, said an official with the Department. Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) has also submitted several other projects costing the government around Rs 30 crore, aimed at comprehensive development of the place. Officials said more resorts will come up in Bekal in the next two years so as to accommodate more tourists. As of now, two resorts, Taj Vivanta and Lalit Resort and Spa, operate in the town. Four more will come up in 2014-15, according to BRDC officials. BRDC has acquired 236.17 acres of land in four panchayats near Bekal and 205 acres are being leased out to various firms to develop resorts. Since the sprawling coastline is a prime attraction of Bekal, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) is launching a beach campaign and Pallikkara beach will be developed to attract more tourists, said officials, who added that twenty wooden huts will soon come up at Bekal beach. Officials maintained the development will be eco-friendly and will abide by the rules of the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).