With the Early monsoon, the water level of the Idduki dam has reached to the brim and thus it has grabbed the attention of the media as well as the tourists. The report of the dam opening this season has raised the curiosity among people for its picturesque environs and thus tourist start flocking to the dam to enjoy its scenic beauty. During the Onam Festival season, there was record number of tourists visit to the dam. As per the report of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), huge number of tourist visited the dam and the number till Saturday was 2.34 lakh tourists. The dam was opened for 36 days for public visit and now it will closed by Sunday. “The number is highest since the dam was opened and it opens during the festival season and on special occasions,” said an official of the KSEB. The hydel tourism department has received 3.39 lakh this season though the sale of entry ticket. Here a total of 1400 people used the boating facility and the departments were just able collect rs 8.4 lakh from this. Sundays and holidays, there was huge rush and the traffic faced problem during the peak hours. On Last Saturday, 24,000 people visited the dam, said the official. “Idduki Dam is the highest arch dams in Asia and it an also an important and central tourist attraction,” said the official. Last year, the dam water level was at rock bottom and there just 60,000 visitors diring Onam Festival, but this year the early monsoon and the rise in the water level has helped, tourists enjoy the panoramic view of the dam and the beauty that capture’s the visitors mind, heart and soul. Roshy Augustine, Idduki MLA told the Hindu, that an initiative is on process to open the dam for the public on Saturdays and Sundays and it this works then it will reduce the pressure of the tourists visit to Munnar. Situated amid Munnar and Thekkady, near the district headquarters, there was huge prospect of tourism and potential of tourism was immense in Cheruthoni, he said. The record number of tourists visit depicts the change in the tourists’ preferences and it is not necessarily that the spot has to be well known, but it should be able to provide unique experience to the visitors, he said.
