Deputed by the Union Ministry of Tourism, Chennai and Delhi-based private consultants on Thursday visited Rameswaram to study the development of coastal tourism circuit under the ‘Swadesh Darshan–Rameswaram bench development’ project.

Accompanied by District Tourism Officer R. Maruthupandian, Kalyan Kumar and his colleague Naveen from a Chennai-based consultancy firm and Swetha from a Delhi-based firm visited Agnitheertham in front of Sri Ramanathaswamy Temple, the parking bay at JJ Nagar near the temple, Kunthukal seashore and Dhanushkodi.

The consultants later held discussions with Collector S. Natarajan.

They visited the island to get firsthand information of coastal tourism circuit under Swadesh Darshan, implemented at a total cost of about Rs. 16 crore,” the Collector said.

The consultants would make further visits to the island. About a dozen projects were being implemented under Swadesh Darshan.

The project components included installation of drinking water kiosks, construction of modern public convenience at the parking lot at JJ Nagar, installation of solid waste bins and compactor bins from Agnitheertham to Olaikuda, providing changing rooms and installation of first-aid kiosk at Agnitheertham, construction of souvenir shops at JJ Nagar, and construction of heritage structure at the Municipal bus stand.

Besides, plans were afoot to preserve the remnants of the architectural monuments in Dhanushkodi, devastated by a cyclonic storm in 1964 and build a tourist information centre to showcase the ‘treasure trove’ of the island through light and sound shows.

It had also been proposed to introduce ‘Ramayana circuit’ a thematic circuit, he added.

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