Alappuzha,a Kerala district often referred to as the Venice of the East on account of thelarge number of water bodies located there and its picturesque setting, willsoon get a "floating market" that will sell provisions to peopleliving on the banks of the Vembanad lake.

Named as "Floating Triveni", a16-metre-long and six-metre-wide boat, carrying over 12,000 items, will startplying the Vembanad lake soon after the elections are over, said StateCooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran, who took the initiative to launch thefloating market.

"The total cost of the project is Rs75 lakh and the boat will stop ataround 100 spots under more than two dozen local (administrative) bodies in andaround Alappuzha. The route for the boat would be announced soon and it wouldcarry more than 12,000 items," Sudhakaran said.

City-based hotel company Floatels India is building the boat, which will bemanaged by the State-run Kerala State Cooperative Consumers Federation Ltd(Consumerfed), the minister said.

Sudhakaran said the boat may also have a computer room, where childrencan play computer games when the boat docks. According to officials, thefloating shop would benefit over 200,000 people living on the banks of thelake.