Idukki dam sees high tourist inflow

News of likely opening of the dam shutters attracts more than 17,000 people to the site

Hundreds of tourists visited the Cheruthoni dam on Sunday on news that the dam would be opened. Photo: H.Vibhu.

All roads led to the Idukki dam on Sunday as more than 17,000 people thronged the dam site.

Being a holiday, a large number of people visited the dam, which had been opened for the public in view of the Onam festival.Traffic in the main town was hit for some time and the road from Vellappara to the dam and from there to the General Hospital junction was filled with vehicles. With sun shining throughout the day, people chose to visit the Idukki and Cheruthoni dams.

An official manning the ticket counter to the Cheruthoni dam said it was a busy day with the people thronging the dam. The number of people that visited the dam site on Saturday was around 9,400. There was also unprecedented rush in hotels and many who turned up from other districts could not find accommodation at Cheruthoni town on Saturday night.

The dam will be open for public till October 20. Two boats from the Mattupetty dam have been arranged for cruse.Foreign tourists visiting Munnar and Thekkady also came here.