For long an eyesore at the Kandhal junction on the outskirts of the town, a piece of land extending over about half-an-acre will soon present a pleasing appearance.
In a state of neglect for years together, the municipal land had been misused in many ways.
With financial assistance being extended by the Hill Area Development Programme (HADP), the civic administration has started work on converting the property into a wayside garden.
Municipal sources told The Hindu here on Wednesday that a sum of Rs. 12 lakh has been earmarked for the beautification scheme and work had commenced late in February. Stating that the work would be completed soon, they said that another wayside garden will come up at Sultanpet here. A sum of Rs. 6 lakh has been set aside for the project. Private organisations will be entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining the gardens.
Meanwhile, the move has been welcomed by all sections of the society here.
Expressing the view that such gardens add value vis a vis tourism promotion, observers hoped that they would be maintained well.
Since a sizeable parking facility is located at Kandhal and a large number of tourist vehicles are diverted to it, the garden will help in improving the ambience. A majority of the tourists who come here are from highly industrialised or heavily crowded cities.
They should go back with memories which they can cherish for long.
Unfortunately, Ooty in its present condition can offer very little by way of natural beauty. Since it is rapidly turning into a concrete jungle, value addition can be provided only in the form of gardens. The possibility of forming a garden inside the race course should also be explored.
