“The project can be completed within three and a half years, once the union government provides sanction. Preliminary preparatory works for the project has already been initiated.

The cost has increased as the delay continues. The present estimate is 3500 crores. Widening of roads in Kochi including MG road is part of the process. The works are expected to be complete by 18 months.
metro rail

This is an ancient Christian Church which accepted Latin rite after the arrival of Portuguese. In 1524, Portuguese merchants headed by Vasco da Gama enthroned this miraculous picture of Our lady of Ransom at the shrine. The church was dedicated to the Holy Spirit, which was the first of its kind in Asia. The beautiful church was however destroyed by a heavy flood in 1676. The church was re-established in 1676 and the famous picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary was erected by Portuguese who brought it from their native land. The picture is believed to have miraculous powers. The Portuguese built the first church on the site of the present church in 1524. It was destroyed in a flood in the late 17th century and a new church was built on the same spot in 1676. It was declared a special church by Pope Leo XIII in 1888 and in 1951 the Union Government declared it a major pilgrim centre.

Vallarpadath Amma is believed to have miraculously saved her devotees several time from violent storms. The feast of Vallarpadath Amma is held every year on September 24 with much fanfare. The celebrations which last for more than a week are accompanied by an unusually big fair.

The Roman Catholic Church has raised the historic Marian pilgrimage destination on the Vallarpadam Island to the status of a National Pilgrim Centre. The documents related to the raising of the status of the Our Lady of Ransom Church on the island was handed over recently to the Archbishop of Varappuzha Daniel Acharuparampil by the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, Telesphore P. Topo.

Vallarpadam is situated next to Bolghatty Island on the west, and linked to the Ernakulam mainland via the new Goshree bridges. It is about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) in length in the north-south direction and hosts a population of 10,000 people. Vallarpadam is about one kilometer (½ mile) away from the Ernakulam mainland.

Genesis: Kochi is a cosmopolitan city modeling itself on the lines of Bangalore and Mumbai. A few decades back, the commercial centre in Kochi or Ernakulam, as it was then called, was restricted to Broadway and M.G.Road. The city started spreading and far-flung areas like Kakkanad have now become part of Kochi city with residential apartments coming up all over the beautiful hillocks in this area. Business establishments have started relocating their showrooms and outlets on the sides of the Trivandrum bye pass road between Edapally and Vytilla. The construction of the Vypeen bridge has opened up new areas for residential and commercial construction as Kochi has become easily accessible from Kochi.

Why invest in real estate?
People have now realized that investment in the stock market, with its ups and downs has its own related problems whereas bank deposits and mutual funds are restrictive in returns. Investing in real estate is a guarantee that the returns at the time of disposal will definitely be higher making it is a very safe mode of investment.

The Flat culture:
Flats have become popular due to the safety and security available for flat dwellers. There is an element of the historical ‘tharavadu’(the joint family system of yesteryears) in the concept of flats with the role of the ‘karnavar’ (seniormost male member who word is the law in the ‘tharavadu’) whose role has been taken over by the Building society in each flat complex. In addition to security, the tenant need not worry about payment of electricity, water or other maintenance bills which are taken care of by the society. All external maintenance is also done by the society. Many of the builders provide utilities like centralized gas, health club, waste chutes and driver’s rooms which are value additions. The paper work involved during the purchase is also minimal and the biggest boon is that one need not worry about the problems of construction-labour, purchase of material, permits and licenses etc.

Independent houses:
Independent villas and houses are expensive but if one can afford it can make you feel like a king. There are many builders who carry out construction on contract basis and with totally transparent terms and conditions. This helps avoid the headaches one would have to face while building homes.

Genesis: Kochi is a cosmopolitan city modeling itself on the lines of Bangalore and Mumbai. A few decades back, the commercial centre in Kochi or Ernakulam, as it was then called, was restricted to Broadway and M.G.Road. The city started spreading and far-flung areas like Kakkanad have now become part of Kochi city with residential apartments coming up all over the beautiful hillocks in this area. Business establishments have started relocating their showrooms and outlets on the sides of the Trivandrum bye pass road between Edapally and Vytilla. The construction of the Vypeen bridge has opened up new areas for residential and commercial construction as Kochi has become easily accessible from Kochi.

Why invest in real estate?
People have now realized that investment in the stock market, with its ups and downs has its own related problems whereas bank deposits and mutual funds are restrictive in returns. Investing in real estate is a guarantee that the returns at the time of disposal will definitely be higher making it is a very safe mode of investment.

The Flat culture:
Flats have become popular due to the safety and security available for flat dwellers. There is an element of the historical ‘tharavadu’(the joint family system of yesteryears) in the concept of flats with the role of the ‘karnavar’ (seniormost male member who word is the law in the ‘tharavadu’) whose role has been taken over by the Building society in each flat complex. In addition to security, the tenant need not worry about payment of electricity, water or other maintenance bills which are taken care of by the society. All external maintenance is also done by the society. Many of the builders provide utilities like centralized gas, health club, waste chutes and driver’s rooms which are value additions. The paper work involved during the purchase is also minimal and the biggest boon is that one need not worry about the problems of construction-labour, purchase of material, permits and licenses etc.

Independent houses:
Independent villas and houses are expensive but if one can afford it can make you feel like a king. There are many builders who carry out construction on contract basis and with totally transparent terms and conditions. This helps avoid the headaches one would have to face while building homes.

Major Attractions of Kochi(Cochin)
When it comes to Forts & Palaces, the options are Mattancherry Palace ( Dutch Palace) which displays beautiful Murals depicting scenes from the epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata, Gundu Island, the magnificent 16th century Pallipuram Fort, Bolghatty Palace, a Scenic island near the city of Ernakulam, Bolghatty, was once the residence of the British resident of Kochi (Cochin). For the tourists who like churches, though the options are many but Churches Santa Cruz Basilica, monumental church having beautiful paintings on the ceiling, attracts many people. For the lovers of beaches whom you will find everywhere, Beaches Cherai Beach is a lovely beach bordering Vypeen Island and is ideal for swimming. If you are lucky enough, you can even see Dolphins here. A typical Kerala village with paddy fields and coconut groves in close proximity is an added attraction of this beach. The place has many museums viz. Museums Hill Palace Museum, Pareekshith Thampuran Museum etc. Then there is a Vypeen Island which is a magnificent lighthouse at Ochanthuruth, remains open from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm daily.

Excursions of Kochi (Cochin)
Once you are through with the city, you can roam around to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding places. Alappuzha Beach (70 km) known as the Venice of the East, is famous for its boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. An outstanding characteristic of this land is Kuttanad which is one of the few places in the world where farming is done below sea level. Kalady is located on the banks of the river Periyar, is famous for its many temples. Aluva (20 km) is just north of Kochi, is situated on the banks of the river Periyar. Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thekkady (190 km), one of the largest wildlife reserves in India, is more popular as a tiger reserve. Boating lovers can enjoy a fancy boat ride on the marvelous waters of the Periyar Lake. Backwaters Kumarakom (88 km) situated on the banks of the Vembanad Lake is considered the gateway to the backwaters of Kuttanad. Cheeyappara Waterfalls are located between Neriamangalam and Adimali on the Kochi – Madurai highway.

The place is a unique combination of sea and backwaters rimmed by lush green coconut palms and paddy fields. The backwaters are a combination of lakes, lagoons, canals and estuaries.

The 15 km long golden Beach is very clean, shallow and is ideal for swimming, surfing and sunbathing. The newly beautified 400 Meters of the main beach has a walkway and High mask lamps which make the beach enjoyable even at night. Trained security staff are present round-the-clock in the beach. The Beach is very safe and tourists of all age groups can enjoy the Beach alike. The beautiful beach is studded with seashells of various hues and shapes. There is a park for children on the beach. Water Scooter and Speed Boats are available for hire. One could catch an occasional glimpse of Dolphins as they spring out and dive back into the water. The far end of the beach is lined with Chinese fishing nets which is a beautiful sight by itself.

The beach is shallow, calm and is ideal for swimming & sunbathing. Enjoy a game of beach volley ball & take a dip in the sea. We have enough beach benches & umbrellas for your comfort.

The 10 kilometer long Cherai Beach is the best golden beach of Kerala and is rightly called “The Princess of the Arabian sea”. One should really feel the warmth of the golden rays of sunset infront of our resort. Dolphins are occasionally seen here.

The newly beautified main beach with the walkway adds to the charm and the Highmast lamp makes the beach enjoyable even at night. Cherai beach is well known for its mouth-lingering fresh sea food.

The marina, the first of its kind in the country – and, in the public sector at that – is set up at Bolghatty Island by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC).

Delivering the inaugural address, Antony said Kerala should provide the best infrastructure to retain its supremacy in the tourism sector.

“Good roads and effective waste management can play a key role in attracting tourists to the state. The Kochi Marina is a commendable step towards providing better amenities to adventure tourists,” Antony said. He said the situation prevailing in the national capital was favourable for Kerala. “Apart form ministers, there are many efficient people holding key posts in almost all ministries. The state should make use of this situation, and I assure everything possible to help the state,” Antony said. Antony said he kept away from the State Government functions not because of any political stand-off.

“I have been keeping away from all functions. At present, I attend functions which the protocol demands,” Antony said.

Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who presided over the function, said the KTDC had initiated a number of new projects, including resorts at Muzhappilangad and Bekal, and a Kerala House in Chennai. He said the KTDC had become a profit-making organisation.

A three-storey Marina House and berths for 34 yachts are the major features of the marina. The berthing facility will be enhanced to 50 later. The marina was constructed by Sharjah-based Gulf Marinas on a project prepared by the Kerala Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation (KITCO).

The marina will be managed by the private company, Ocean Blue, on a three-year contract. However, the Marina House will be under the direct control of the KTDC.

The marina was set up at a cost of Rs 8.21 crore with a central assistance of Rs 4 crore.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture K V Thomas, P Rajeev MP, MLAs V K Ibrahim Kunju, M K Purushothaman and Dominic Presentation, Kerala Tourism Secretary V Venu, Cochin Port Trust chairman N Ramachandran, Tourism Ministrym Principal Secretary E K Bharat Bhushan and KTDC MD K G Mohanlal were present.

A major pilgrim centre for Christians, Church of Our Lady of Ransom is one of the oldest European Churches in India built by the Portuguese Missionaries. The church dedicated to the Holy Mary of Vallarpadam popularly known as ‘Vallarapadath Amma’, is located in the middle of Vallarpadam, a small idyllic island on the Vembanad lake, 1 km north from the mainland Kochi (Ernakulam), Kerala. Today the church elevated to the status of a Basilica as well as a National shrine attracts more than five lakh people including pilgrims and tourists, annually. One of the three Basilicas in Kochi, the Church is under the diocese of Verapoly (Varappuzha).

The church earlier accessible only by boat is now linked to the mainland Ernakulam, and the islands of Bolghatty, Mulavukad and Vypin by three adjacent bridges called the Goshree bridges. Vallarpadam island, about 3.9 km in length and 1.5 km in width is located between the islands of Mulavukad and Vypin, and to the east of Bolghatty island. Vallarpadam container Terminal, a proposed project here could make this small island one of the best hub ports in the world.

Now there is a new Rosary park in front of the church with a walkway which has sculptures and paintings featuring the four Mysteries of Faith celebrated by Catholics all over the world.

Every year the Feast of Our Lady of Vallarpadam is celebrated from September 16 to 24, and thousands of people irrespective of cast and creed from different parts of the country visit this Holy Place of Worship. Along with the Blessed Mary’s feast, the festival of the Holy spirit / Pentecostal festival is also celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Caravan parks Glan y Môr and Sŵn y Môr are modern caravan parks on the mid-Wales coast.

“The Cochin Port Trust has invested over $325m on road, rail connectivity and dredging of the channel,” sources told the Economic Times.

As the deadline of scheduled commissioning of the Vallarpadam International Container Transhipment Terminal by June is getting closer, the Kochi port is considering a review of various charges levied by it to create a level playing field for developing the terminal as a transshipment hub.

DP World which is operating the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal has also requested the port management for urgent relaxation of cabotage law and measures to ensure competitive marine charges so that the new terminal becomes viable as an international transhipment facility rather than acting as a feeder port to Colombo.

A note prepared by the port trust at the recently concluded board meeting pointed out that the emergence of Kochi as a transhipment hub for India and a maritime gateway to South India hinged on the competitive advantages that it can offer to the global container trade.

Currently Dubai, Singapore and Colombo act as transhipment hubs for as much as 80% of the India-bound cargo. Hence, development of ICTT as a transhipment hub capable of handling large ships would help attract a major share of this cargo now being handled by these foreign ports.

But for this, the terminal handling charges and vessel related charges should be competitive and necessary relaxations are made in Indian cabotage law to attract foreign vessels.

Introduction
Kerala monsoon season spans from June and August. Get wet, splash and swim or wade through knee deep waters, sail paper boats, or try out an Ayurveda vacation during monsoon. During your tour to Kerala in the monsoon season, the places that you can cover are Alappuzha, Kochi, Kumarkom, Thekkady, Munnar, Guruvayoor and Vythiri, Kerala tourism.

Alappuzha
Alappuzha is blessed with palm-fringed canals, bustling shores, picturesque lagoons and lakesides, numerous pilgrimage centers, and a long sandy beach. A backwater cruise on the Punnamada Kayal takes you along canals covered with mauve hyacinths past scenic islands offering sublime views of coconut and paddy fields, Chinese fishing nets and toddy tappers at work.

Kochi
The vibrant city Kochi, known as the Queen of Arabian Sea, offers charming visuals in abundance manifested in the ancient Chinese fishing nets, monuments, synagogue, etc. A conducted cruise on the local ferries through the winding waterways to several quaint spots is the main tourist attraction of Kochi.

Thekkady
Thekkady or Periyar is the location of the famous Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary , where you are offered programs like Periyar Tiger Trail, Nature walk, Bamboo Rafting etc. Early in the morning you can go for a boat ride in the Periyar Lake .

Kumarakom
Watch the swaying paddy fields or the lofty coconut palms, or go on a bird watching trip to Kumarakom Bird sanctuary at the scenic Kumarakom. The enchanting boat races, houseboat cruise, canoeing and fishing are some of the main attractions of Kumarakom.

Kerala is truly the undiscovered India. It is God’s own country and an enchantingly beautiful, emerald-green sliver of land. It is a tropical paradise far from the tourist trial at the southwestern peninsular tip, sandwiched between the tall mountains and the deep sea. Kerala is a long stretch of enchanting greenery. The tall exotic coconut palm dominates the landscape.