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Our Bureau

Thiruvananthapuram , Nov. 9

Kerala Tourism has started work on a project to set up a handloom village at Balaramapuram near Thiruvananthapuram.

The project, which looks to transform Vellikkulam village in Balaramapuram into a tourist destination, was inaugurated by the Tourism Minister, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, on Wednesday.

Balaramapuram is known for its tradition of producing handloom fabric, and the handloom village project seeks to use tourism to improve the livelihoods of traditional weavers living in the area, explained Mr B. Suman, Director, Kerala Tourism.

The proposed handloom village is expected to benefit from Balaramapuram's proximity to tourist destinations such as Kovalam and Poovar near Thiruvananthapuram, and attract tourists from these places, he added.

An interpretation centre and a handloom museum will be set up in Vellikkulam as part of the project and infrastructure in the village will be improved. Roads, walkways, toilets, parking facilities and streetlights will be put in, he said. The weavers' looms and their surroundings will also be renovated as part of the project. The weavers will also get an opportunity to sell their products to tourists visiting the handloom village, he added.

The first phase of the project, which is being implemented under the Union Tourism Ministry's `rural tourism scheme', is expected to involve an investment of Rs 68 lakh. Kerala Tourism is also working on developing other `soft' components of the project.

It has already initiated measures to help the weavers develop new designs and products, Mr Suman said. This aspect of the project is intended to help the weavers target new markets, especially export markets, he pointed out.

More Stories on : Handloom | Tourism | Kerala

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