COIMBATORE: Popular tourist spots controlled by the Horticulture Department in the Nilgiris district will remain open on Friday. However tourists will not be allowed to visit Kozhikamuthi elephant camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) near Pollachi in Coimbatore.
Kattery Park, Sims Park, Government Botanical Garden (GBG) and Government Rose garden (GRG) will be open as per regular schedule on Friday and there will be no closure of the tourist spots in view of the election.
An official from the horticulture department said, summer months are the peak season when the tourists from Kerala and Karnataka arrive in large numbers to Ooty to enjoy the weather.
A total of 1.39 lakh tourists visited the government botanical garden in March and 3.33 lakh in April last year and a total of 1.73 lakh this year March and till April 17 a total of 1.92 tourists visited the garden, he said.
“We usually take the tourists on a vehicle safari to the Kozhikamuthi elephant camp to witness the feeding of the elephants. However, we will not be operating vehicle safari on Friday due to voting. So tourists will not be able to reach the camp. Moreover, tourists will not be allowed to stay in the guest houses maintained by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department at Topslip. However, those who are staying already can continue,” said an official.
Except the Nadugani genepool park in Gudalur forest division, other tourist spots, including the Theppakadu elephant camp, run by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department will remain open today. Tourists can also stay at the guest houses.