NILGIRIS: The Theppakkadu elephant camp in Nilgiris is being spruced up in view of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on April 9 to felicitate Bomman and Belli of The Elephant Whisperers fame. Walls and barricades of the camp are being painted and the laying of interlock stones is in progress. Grass that dried due to summer, has been removed.
Further, a senior official in the State Highways department told TNIE that a new bitumen road has been laid for 600 metres on an alternative forest road in Theppakadu since the existing path is uneven. “Moreover, bitumen road has been extended on both sides for three metres using cement to facilitate the passing of two vehicles at a time between Masinagudi and Theppakadu."
"Ahead of PM’s visit, works, including laying of bitumen road as well as the extension of existing road has been taken up as a special case.” Meanwhile, residents in and around Masinagudi expressed surprise at the developments as they have been requesting the authorities for better roads for over a year.
Deputy Director of MTR C Vidhya said, “We are only carrying out renovation works to give a new look to the camp. Bushes and garbages on the road leading to the tribal settlement have also been cleared.”
“Restricting the tourists in guest houses at in Theppakkadu before and on April 9 has not yet been decided,” she added.
D Venkatesh, Field Director of MTR said the prime minister will be visiting only the Theppakadu elephant camp. Nilgiris SP K. Prabhakar told TNIE that the police have not received any requests seeking to deploy police in the area ahead of the PM’s visit so far and that they expect the order in the upcoming days.