The scenic Pachamalai hills has become a preferred weekend getaway for those wanting to beat the torrid summer heat.
The verdant environment atop the hills endowed with thick forest areas, ridges and valleys and a home to various birds and animals has attracted a steady stream of visitors during this holiday season.
Pachamalai which has been developed as an eco-tourism spot by the Forest Department is seeing more footfalls during the weekends.
The revenue generated through the arrival of tourists has been handed over to the eco-tourism management committees comprising of tribals settled atop the hills.
Forest Department officials said there was good response this year after Pachamalai hills was declared as an eco-tourism spot with funds provided by the State government.
Revenue earned in the last two months alone - being the peak summer season coupled with holidays – touched ₹1 lakh.
A senior official said that in the last two months visitors had come from various places, including Erode, Chennai, Madurai, Dindigul, Thanjavur and Mannargudi.
The scenic spot has also attracted visitors from Bengaluru, said a senior Forest Department official. Some tourists had even stayed for two days, he noted.
The Forest Department had accommodated the visitors in tree top huts, mushroom type hut, dormitory and renovated guest houses and rest houses atop the hills.
These accommodations were constructed under the eco-tourism project.
Upon reaching the hills, the tourists were taken to various locations deep inside including the Keezhakarai Murugan Koil view point and Solamaasi reserve forest using the help of guides arranged by the eco-tourism management committees.
“While some visitors used their own vehicles to visit the locations, there were others who were taken on a mini-cab purchased by the Forest Department under the eco-tourism project,” said the official.
The place also has a trekking trail at Maamarathusolai.
“Compared to earlier years, this time around Pachamalai has seen a steady stream of visitors many of whom had booked the accommodation in advance,” he said.
The eco-tourism management committees comprising of 15 members each has been constituted at Top Sengattupatti and Sembur villages under the eco-tourism plan to improve the socio-economic lot of the tribals, the official said.
