Kerala’s First Science City Opens First Phase to Public in Kottayam

Kottayam: The development of Kerala’s first Science City at Kozha in Kuravilangad is progressing with plans to complete all phases within a fixed timeline. Spread over 30 acres of land allotted by the state government, the project is being implemented by the State Science and Technology Museum under the Higher Education Department.

The Science Centre, forming the first phase of the Science City, opened to the public on Friday. It features a wide range of attractions aimed at promoting scientific awareness and curiosity, including a Fun Science Gallery, Emerging Technology exhibits, a Marine Science section, a 3D theatre, a Science Park, Dinosaur Enclave, Activity Centre, and an Exhibition Hall.

Construction of additional facilities such as motion simulators, augmented and virtual reality theatres, a sound-and-light display, a water fountain, and a sky observation system has been planned as part of the second phase. Alongside the Science Centre, a Biodiversity Park is also under construction. It will host rare species of forest, aromatic, fruit-bearing, and medicinal plants.

According to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the project will be completed on schedule and made fully functional. He said that the Science Centre, built at a cost of Rs 14.5 crore, is jointly funded by the state and central governments. The state has already spent Rs 50 crore for the development of the Science City, and an additional Rs 45 crore will be allocated to complete upcoming phases. The project, the Chief Minister said, is a model of cooperative federalism.

The state government is planning to set up 30 science centres across Kerala, and Rs 38 crore has already been earmarked in the budget for that purpose. Emphasising the need for promoting scientific awareness, the Chief Minister said science remains one of the strongest tools to counter darkness and ignorance. “In a time when superstitions and regressive practices are attempting to make a comeback, the relevance of science is greater than ever. The Science Centre will help cultivate a generation with scientific temper,” he said.
Minister for Higher Education R. Bindu said the Science City has been conceived to foster scientific thinking among children and the wider public, aligning with Kerala’s continued progress in the fields of science and technology.