A major tourist facilitation centre in Kerala's capital, built at a cost of nearly Rs 5 crore, has been lying completely unused for almost five years, highlighting a significant gap between infrastructure creation and operational maintenance in the state's tourism sector.
A Building Gathering Dust
The centre, located opposite the popular Veli Tourist Village in Thiruvananthapuram, was inaugurated back in 2019. Despite its prime location and aesthetically designed conical roof, the two-acre facility now appears unkempt. The glass frontage has turned opaque from accumulated dust, and the interior remains empty.
Constructed by Kerala Tourism Infrastructure Ltd, the building was intended to offer tourists a space to lounge, store luggage, rest, and freshen up before visiting the nearby attractions. The Veli Tourist Village itself is a daily draw for hundreds, especially foreign tourists, featuring a beach, boating, and a toy train ride across a lake.
Snags and Systemic Hurdles
Official sources reveal the core reasons for the centre's non-operation. There is no water supply or electricity connection to the building. Furthermore, a technical or administrative snag in utilizing the structure has persisted despite several attempts to resolve it.
This facilitation centre was part of a larger project that also included a convention centre and a hotel. The hotel plan was eventually dropped, deemed unviable due to numerous private hotels, lodges, and homestays in the area. The convention centre, which opened in March of last year, is also not functioning regularly and is now occasionally rented out for private events like meetings and weddings.
Public Hope and Wasted Potential
Local residents express frustration at seeing the valuable asset remain abandoned. With the Veli Tourist Village packed during holidays—as seen on a recent Tuesday evening due to school breaks—the need for such a facility is evident. Families and youngsters flock to the waterfront, making the non-functional centre a missed opportunity.
People are now hopeful that the state government will take action to open the centre in time for the upcoming summer holidays. This period typically sees a massive influx of visitors from within Thiruvananthapuram city and neighbouring Tamil Nadu. The situation underscores a broader issue where poor maintenance and lack of follow-up after project completion mar the visitor experience, despite aggressive tourism promotion promises.
The call is clear: for tourism to thrive, built infrastructure must be activated and maintained, turning grand projects into functional public amenities.
