Thiruvananthapuram Corporation budget: Vilappilsala to get amusing' gift

Thiruvananthapuram: Vilappilsala, which for years has been associated with a defunct waste treatment facility, could reclaim its name as the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has set aside Rs 2 crore to set up an amusement park there. It was one of the new projects proposed in the Corporation’s budget which was presented on Friday. The park will be developed on a build-operate-transfer basis. Deputy Mayor Rakhi Ravikumar who presented the budget, said that Vilappilsala will be developed to the benefit of the people.

Ms Ravikumar said the place will be developed the way Kazhakkoottam was decked up. “It is going to boost tourism in the area,” she said, adding that the project was in line with the corporation’s policy of not allowing centralised waste management units in the city. The civic body owns close to 49 acres here. Academician Achuth Shankar S. Nair said that the development would do good for the people for the area. “Many had sold off their land and land price had fallen. This offer should bring it back to normalcy,” he said.

Earlier, the National Green Tribunal had asked the corporation to identify space to relocate waste at Vilappilsala. Mayor V.K. Prasanth said that there was no need for making provisions for relocating waste as it would be turned into compost. This was clarified in a report prepared by the experts employed by the corporation, he said, adding the report is now with the NGT. The budget for 2017-2018 estimates a revenue of Rs 1053.15 crore and a surplus of Rs 64.19 crore.