Courtallam opened for tourists

Courtallam, which was a ‘ghost town’ for the past eight-and-a-half months owing to the lockdown, finally saw the return of tourists, this week.

The tourist spot was opened during the annual season between June and August. With the number of fresh infections coming down, the restrictions have been relaxed and the district administration decided to open the waterfalls for the visitors.

On Tuesday, the tourists were allowed to take bath in small groups after a simple puja was performed. People from Rajapalayam, Sivakasi and Virudhunagar arrived here on Tuesday morning. Though the flow of water in the Main Falls and Five Falls was light, the visitors were keen on taking bath. They were regulated in small groups of 20 each and allowed to take bath for about 20 minutes.

The Old Courtallam falls was not opened owing to the damage caused by the recent floods in the bathing area and the approach path. “Since the damaged portions might cause injuries to the visitors, they were not allowed. We’ll complete the work within a week,” said the officials.

The district administration has deployed teams comprising officials drawn from police, revenue, town panchayat, public health and horticulture to regulate the crowd.

District Collector G. S. Sameeran inspected the Main Falls in the afternoon.

Barring the small eateries, tea shops and a couple of small general stores, other business establishments like lodges, hotels, fruit stalls etc. remained closed in this tourist destination.