Kozhikode to Resume Boating at Peruvannamuzhi, Add Thonikadavu Service

Boating services are set to return to the Peruvannamuzhi reservoir in Kozhikode district, with the administration also planning a new service at Thonikadavu, a 15-acre stretch within the reservoir known as 'Heart Island'.

The decisions were taken at a recent meeting of the Tourism Management Committee, attended by District Collector M.S. Madhavikutty and Perambra MLA Fathima Thahiliya. The committee agreed to invite expressions of interest from operators to run the Thonikadavu service, and to deploy solar-powered boats in order to keep pollution in check.

The meeting also cleared temporary appointments needed to operate the tourism facilities. A separate meeting will be convened soon to work out a comprehensive development plan for the destination.

Boating across the reservoir, which contains 13 islets, is seen as a central draw in the effort to establish Peruvannamuzhi as a major tourism destination. Ms. Thahiliya said the service would let visitors take in the reservoir, its islets and the forested landscape around it, and that the aim was to build on the area's natural beauty, water resources and scope for adventure tourism, especially among younger travellers.

Peruvannamuzhi already has a tourism development project worth ₹3.13 crore, implemented in 2021, which included facilities such as a children's park. Two solar-powered boats were launched at the ecotourism spot in 2022, and they helped raise visitor numbers and revenue.

The service was halted during the heavy rains of the 2024 monsoon and has not resumed since. It was stopped after an engine failure, and the operator did not restart it despite repeated notices from the Irrigation department. The long gap has kept visitors away from one of the destination's main attractions, leaving many to see the dam and return, besides causing a loss of potential revenue.