Silent Valley park reopening

Silent Valley National Park is all set to receive visitors after the summer break. The long- pending repairing works were completed on Saturday and the park comprising one of the oldest rainforests in the world will be reopened for eco-tourism enthusiasts on Monday.

“The suspension bridge across river Kunthi was badly in need of repair works. The rusted old portions of the bridge have been replaced with new ones. Now the tourists can enter the bridge located about three km away from Sairandhri inside the thick forests. The trekking from Sairandhri to the bridge will be the greatest attraction we are offering to the visitors,” said Samul V. Pachuau, wildlife warden of the park.

Built on the occasion of the visit of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to Sairandhri in 1985, the huge tower is another attraction to visitors.

The steel tower was renovated in a way ensuring visiting tourists to enjoy the scenic beauty even during rainy days. Glass cabins have been arranged in different floors of the tower for the benefit of visitors. The 30-metre tower can be climbed by 10 people at a time.

Visitors will get guided tour permission inside the permitted region and that too in department-approved vehicles. Those who are paying ₹400 at the department’s cash counter in Mukkali will get the six-hour journey inside the park under the supervision of a guide.

In Mukkali, the department has limited accommodation facilities for nature enthusiasts.