KOCHI: In a gift of a scheme that will hugely benefit tourism, the government decided to start functioning the People’s Rest House project in Fort Kochi. This will ensure good accommodation facilities at a low cost to the public.

Public Works Department Minister P. A. Mohammed Riyas informed details regarding the project. The long-

standing demand of tourists to renovate the two Rest House buildings built in 1962 and 2006 facing Fort Kochi Beach will finally bear fruit. The Minister informed that the Fort Kochi Rest House will be opened to the public from October 19.

Income from the People's Rest House project, which provides public works rest houses at low rates through online booking, has reached 19 crores. There were 30,41,77 bookings in 156 rest houses in the state in three years. There are 1200 rooms including cottages in various rest houses across the state. The construction of 256 rooms is in progress. These will be opened by next year.

Rest houses in major centres have been renovated while new ones have appeared in sought-after locations.