TN Govt Floats Tender to Develop Nandavanam Heritage Park Near Kovalam

In a move to boost cultural tourism and create a new attraction along the East Coast Road (ECR), the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has floated a tender for the development of the Nandavanam Heritage Park near Kovalam, just outside Chennai.

This is the attempt of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department to propel cultural tourism and provide an additional destination along the East Coast Road (ECR). Now, it has floated a tender for developing the Nandavanam Heritage Park near Kovalam, outside the city of Chennai.

The park is a heritage-themed recreation facility that has elements of the traditional with modern leisure to commemorate the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Tamil Nadu. It has scope for fulfilling all contemporary tourism needs and is expected to be a huge draw for domestic as well as international tourists traveling on an amazing journey through the ECR corridor.

According to the tender document, several immersive zones will be incorporated in the park, including:

• Miniature temples replicating renowned architectural styles across Tamil Nadu
• Folk deity sections paying homage to numerous local gods and traditions at the village level
• Glow gardens and meditation zones for evening attractions and spiritual reflection
• Play areas for kids, event grounds, and go-karting tracks for family fun
• Street shopping clusters serving as rural and traditional market replicas
• Holy tree groves replicating Tamil ecologies, traditions, and spirituality
• Glamping accommodations (Luxury camping) for experiential stays
• Dedicated arenas for Tamil arts, classical dance, theatre, and demonstrations of village life.

The project envisages being an all-year-round tourist hub focusing on the intangibles of Tamil Nadu heritage and also housing facilities for cultural activities, festivals, workshops, and performances.

This project by officials aimed at finding a better way within the overall policy direction of the state to promote heritage-oriented tourism as a development strategy to give sustainable livelihoods to local artisans, performers, and entrepreneurs would, once operational, have a complementary relationship with existing tourist attractions on ECR, such as Mahabalipuram, and boosting weekend tourism from Chennai.

The Tourism Department invited well-regarded firms to express their interest in the submission of proposals to undertake planning, construction, and operation under the guidelines of the tender. Technical and financial criteria will be used for the final selection, but with emphasis on continuity in development and cultural authenticity.