Tourist spots in the Nilgiris will be opened from Monday, December 7, district collector, J. Innocent Divya announced on Friday.
Speaking to reporters at the inauguration of the renovated surroundings of the Assembly Rooms theatre complex, Ms. Divya said that all tourist spots, including Doddabetta Peak, the Boat House, Pykara Lake, Ninth Mile and others, will be opened to the public from Monday.
“All the spots that are run by the Eco-Development Committees (EDCs) and the Tourism Department will be opened,” said the collector. However, approval to open tourism services at Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) has not yet been granted.
On Friday, the collector inspected the Assembly Rooms theatre, which was formally opened after it closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March this year. “It was decided that the more than 150-year-old heritage cinema theatre would be spruced up during its closure,” said Ms. Divya. The renovated compound wall of the theatre pays homage to iconic movies such as Ben Hur, James Bond, Enter the Dragon, The Sound of Music as well as The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.
D. Radhakrishnan, honorary secretary of the Assembly Rooms, along with trustee Rajesh Nahar, were present at the event. The collector inspected measures taken at the theatre to ensure physical distancing and to minimise the chances of COVID-19 transmission. Ms. Divya was also given a tour of the cine museum at the theatre.
