Ambalavayal: The ‘Phantom Rock’ at Ambalavayal has turned a darling of tourists of late yet the tourism department refuses to grant the structure the stardom it deserves. The strange-looking rock has the potential to draw visitors by the hordes given its proximity to the Edakkal Cave, Heritage Museum and the Karappuzha dam but many travelers tend to skip the destination because of a lack of basic amenities.
Tourists have to drive on a road that leads to a stone-crushing unit to reach the Phantom Rock. The authorities have not even bothered to mark the boundaries of the structure to protect it from encroachment.
The then Wayanad district collector Keshavendra Kumar had promised to roll out a plan to conserve and promote the rock but nothing has come out of the announcement. The rock is threatened by unbridled mining in its surroundings. In the absence of any security arrangements, the place has turned a haven for anti-social elements.
The only initiative by the tourism department in the area was to put up a few signboard to the Phantom Rock.
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