Tourist spots have reopened in the Nilgiris after being cleaned and readied for the arrival of visitors. Nilgiris district collector, J. Innocent Divya, has announced that all tourist spots run by the Tourism Department and the Eco-Development Committees (EDCs), managed by the Forest Department and local communities, have begun functioning from this week following the directions of the state government.

While the parks and recreational spaces run by the Horticulture Department, such as the Government Botanical Garden, Sims Park, Rose Garden and Kattery Park, have been opened since last month, other tourist spots, such as the Ooty Lake and Boat House, Pykara Lake, Ninth Mile, Doddabetta Peak and Kodanad View Point have remained closed since March this year.

Northey Kuttan, a member of the indigenous Toda community, and the president of the Pagalkodu Mund EDC which is in-charge of maintaining the Ninth Mile Shooting Spot, said that preparations to safely open the area for the public have been completed. “Based on the instructions of the government, we have provided hand-sanitisers, gloves and masks to all the staff working in the EDC. We will also disinfect the area such as ticket stalls and sitting areas every two hours,” said Kuttan.

Microphone and speaker systems have also been installed to make announcements to tourists to maintain personal distancing at all times and to wear the masks while they are visiting, he added.

In the Boat House, boatmen spent the weekend repairing their boats and completed other maintenance works. Shopkeepers around the area too said that they would reopen, after many of them remained closed due to the lack of tourists over the last few months.