By our Correspondent
Thrissur, July 06 (IVC) The Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and Tourism, Mr Suresh Gopi said that a new tourism circuit from Nagapattinam from Tamil Nadu to Thrissur Lourde Cathedral was under the proposal as part of fulfilling the premises given by him during the electioneering to the 18th Lok Sabha elections. Gopi was elected from the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.
Addressing a meet-the-press programme organized by the Press Club here yesterday, the minister said that the proposed circuit would touch Velankanny, Dindigul, Mangaladevi in Tamil Nadu and Kalady. Malayattoor, Bharananganam and Kodungalloor and it would end at Thrissur Loude Cathedral where the Madonna was dedicated, in the heart of the city.
The concerned authorities had been asked to prepare a draft plan for the proposed tourism project and it would be ready shortly, he expressed the hope.
Guruvayur had to be taken up as a special case, he added. Kerala needs a tourism development project of its own without spoiling the mangroves ad lagoons. The proposed tourist project would not affect adversely the mangroves and lagoons, he added.
Answering a query on the delay in establishing All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) branch in Kerala, he said it was due to certain man-made problems and not on the part of the Union Government. AIIMS would be functioning from Kerala within five years, he added.
The minister said that earnest efforts would be made to attract investors to Kerala. Attempts would be made to extend the Kochi Metro train up to Coimbatore, adding he said that care should be taken that the investors who shown interest in investing in Kerala should not be blocked on flimsy grounds, the minister added.IVC Ckg Tcr
