Though Kerala has 17 minor ports, some of which had forged trade ties with foreign merchants centuries ago, these ancient harbours have been lying idle of late due to the poor coastal shipping activities along the Kerala coast. But soon, tourists visiting Kerala will get a feel of the State’s maritime history and how the port premises were used the past.
The Ports and Tourism departments have decided to develop tourism projects on the land owned by the Ports department near the sea by adhering to the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms, which classify coastal areas into different zones to regulate and manage infrastructure activities.
Speaking to The Hindu Kerala Maritime Board Chairman N.S. Pillai said port bungalows constructed during the colonial period, lighthouses under the board, and the oldest sea bridges in the State at Valiathura, Alappuzha, and Thalassery would be refurbished and opened to tourists.
