Infrastructure woes impede Valparai's growth as tourist spot

Valparai, Tamil Nadu, May 21 (UNI) The serene surroundings, rich flora and fauna, picturesque spots and unexplored wilderness qualify Valparai in Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu as a hot tourist destination, but on the flip side the underdeveloped tourist spot lacks infrastructural facilities.

The state government is making all efforts to promote Valparai, situated in Anamalai hills, 3,500 ft above mean sea level, as a tourism spot by conducting summer festival on a grand scale. But, tourists and the locals alike feel that unless the government initiates action to put in place proper infrastructure, Valparai can never get a prominent place in the tourist map of the country.

They suggest that the government should acquire land from the ubiquitous tea estates, leased out to multinationals, to create facilities for tourists.

The foremost handicap hindering the development of the region is the lack of adequate number of hotels and other accommodations. As only a few hotels are available, tourists are forced to change their plans and shift to Pollachi, a nearby town in the plains.

Impressed by the flashy advertisements, Mr Murugesan and family of Chennai packed their bags to Valparai to escape from the sweltering heat and to enjoy the pristine surroundings here.

However, the family was put off by the lack of facilities here.

He told UNI that the government should acquire atleast 200 acres of land and allow the private or public sector to construct good hotels and set up a tourism development office to guide tourists.

He lamented that though there are plenty of spots for sight seeing in this region, neither the state forest officials nor tea estate owners allow the visitors to go there.

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