KATPS to establish guidelines for sky-dining facilities

The Kerala Adventure Tourism Promotion Society (KATPS) will establish guidelines for operation of sky-dining restaurant facilities in the State.

The decision comes against the backdrop of five people getting stuck in a sky-dining restaurant at Anachal, near Munnar, in Idukki on Friday.

KATPS CEO Binu Kuriakose says there are no proper guidelines for operating such facilities as an adventure tourism activity in the State. “The sky-dining facility at Anachal, Southern Skies Aerodynamics, which was recently established, is the first initiative of its kind in the State. The KATPS will establish guidelines, including standard operating procedure and safety measures, for the operation of such facilities,” he says.

“The guidelines for operating floating bridges and glass bridges were prepared recently after such projects became operational. Various tourism stakeholders are establishing adventure tourism projects modelled on similar projects around the globe. So far, guidelines have been established for 34 adventure tourism activities in the State,” says Mr. Kuriakose.

“Regarding sky-dining, the KATPS has collected details and plans to prepare guidelines for the tourism activity,” he says.

Meanwhile, the Vellathooval police have registered a case against the owners of the firm involved in Friday’s accident.

Devikulam Subcollector V.M. Arya said the district administration had issued a stop memo to the sky-dining firm. “The stop memo was issued based on a report submitted by the village officer,” she said.

Meanwhile. public activist Kulathur Jaisingh submitted a compliant to the Chief Minister demanding an inquiry into the safety measures in such facilities across the State. According to Mr. Jaising, the complaint has been forwarded to the Principal Director of the Local Self-Government for action.

According to sources, the government issues stop memos on firms in case of accidents. “The government should establish guidelines for adventure tourism projects for the smooth functioning of such establishments. When the glass bridge was established at Wagamon, the tourist arrivals doubled at the hill station,” he said.