Talakona, Ubbalamadugu waterfalls reopen to tourists

Entering water bodies, taking bath are prohibited

November 21, 2020 12:04 am | Updated 12:04 am IST - CHITTOOR

Forest Range Officer J. Prasada Rao issuing a computer-generated entrance ticket to a visitor at Ubbalamadugu waterfalls in Chittoor district on Friday.

Forest Range Officer J. Prasada Rao issuing a computer-generated entrance ticket to a visitor at Ubbalamadugu waterfalls in Chittoor district on Friday.

After an eight-month-long closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the popular tourist spots of Talakona and Ubbalamadugu waterfalls in Chittoor district were reopened to the public on Friday, with the strict implementation of rules in place.

Ever since the unlock series were initiated, a large number of tourists from not only the district but also from the neighbouring States kept tickling in to the two premier waterfalls from August onward, but were forced to return disappointed due to the closure.

Keeping in view of the ongoing Karthika month, which commenced on November 16, the officials had made arrangements for reopening of these attractions to tourists. With heavy rain in Chittoor district, both in the southwest and northeast monsoons, the waterfalls have been in full cascade for a couple of months.

Forest Range Officer (Satyavedu) J. Prasada Rao said the weekend rush of tourists to Ubbalamadugu would be close to 10,000, mostly from Tamil Nadu. “The COVID rules would be under strict implementation. Visitors should compulsorily wear facemasks, carry hand sanitizers. They will not be allowed to enter the water bodies and take bath. Guards would be posted at all vulnerable points to prevent the unauthorized entry of visitors into the reserve forest zone,” the official said.

List of dos and don’ts

The officials at Talakona have released a pamphlet listing out dos and don’ts for the tourists. The accommodation and canteen facilities are being spruced up to suit the guidelines. Talakona with round-the-clock presence of forest personnel is known for its safety to the tourists. The temple of Lord Siddeswara Swami at the foothills is visited by hundreds of devotees everyday during the Karthika month.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.