The end to the heritage ship project

One more innovative tourism scheme has sunk before its sail. The authorities concerned have decided to wind up the heritage ship project by which tourists could get a feel of history through a journey on sea from Fort Kochi to Kodungalloor.

The work on the heritage ship, which is part of Muziris project, is almost complete for which around Rs 50 lakh was spent.

Director-General of the Centre for Heritage Studies (CHS) MGS Narayan who heads the implementation committee told ‘City Express’  that they have decided to call it quits.

He said the decision was made as the former government officials involved in the project did not hand over proper financial records of the project to him.

“We have decided to wind up the project owing  to financial irregularities. The former government and the former registrar are not transparent. Besides, two ship building courses, a part of the project, have also been closed,” he said.  

Meanwhile, former Director-General of Centre for Heritage Studies K K N Kurup, who initiated the project, said the closing of such a novel project should not be allowed. “The ship was constructed using a sum of Rs 50 lakh from the fund received from the Tourism Department. The project was scheduled to be completed by March 2012. Only an engine remains to be fixed as per the decision of the new government. If the project is wound up it will be a huge loss to the tourism-related developments of Kerala. This is an example for wasting government fund without any reason,” he said. 

He also noted that if the two courses on heritage ship building is revived it would be a big leap in preserving the traditional knowledge of artisans in Beypore.

“Traditional artisans and workmen who are exponents in heritage ship making will hand over the techniques of ship building to the new generation. It will be a benefit for the new generation to build Beypore-model ship which was made 2000 years ago in Beypore, he said. 

Meanwhile, Special Officer for the Muziris Project P Vijayan said that CHS did not inform him about its decision to close the project. “But it came to our notice that CHS has not been doing the work related to the project for the past one year. Any further decision about the project will only be taken after the meeting of the Muziris coordination committee,” he said.