KODAIKANAL
About 250 tourists visited the famous Bryant Park here on Wednesday, said Horticulture department officials.
After the district administration relaxed the e-pass norms from Wednesday, tourists from neighbouring districts, including Madurai, Tirunelveli, Tiruchi and others, paid a visit to the hill station, officials said and added that on verification of the pass at the entry point, the vehicles were permitted. While for people from within the Dindigul district, the e-pass was not required. However, they have to produce a valid photo identity card, they added.
Since March 25, when the governments had announced lockdown following the covid-19 spread, the hill station was shut for public entry. For almost five months, there was a total ban on tourists here.
Following representations from the trade, hotels and tourist operators' associations to relax the norms and permit tourists, the government relaxed norms in a phased manner. As a sequel to this, the district administration had accorded permission to open only three tourist spots - Bryant Park, Rose Garden and Chettiar Park. All the other spots, including boat rides on the lake, continued to be under the ban.
Meanwhile, hoteliers and resort owners in the hill station expressed satisfaction over the relaxation. They said that room reservations had begun as tourists enquired and booked online. The TNSTC buses too had been operating on the ghat section over the last two days.
The Health Department officials said that they screened visitors at the Silver Cascade point and noted down mobile numbers. As and when the test results were known, the individuals were informed through SMS.
The Horticulture Department officials welcomed the tourists with bouquets at the Bryant Park. A team of volunteers supervised by the staff screened the visitors and provided hand sanitizers.