Munnar Botanical Garden inaugurated today

Munnar: The Munnar Botanical Garden which aims to provide entertainment with leisure and knowledge for the tourists was inaugurated today. In a colourful event presided over by S Rajendran MLA, the garden was inaugurated by tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran at 2pm.

The tourism department has spent around Rs 4.5 crore to open the botanical garden at the Munnar-Devikulam road near the government college. In the initial stage of the project, the garden has been arranged in sprawling 5 acres. The visitors can enjoy the spectacular garden which houses around 150 varieties of flowering plants, an open theatre, beautiful landscapes, walkways, canteen, souvenir shop and spice shops. The entry fee for adults would be Rs 20 per head and Rs 10 for children below 12 years.

The second stage of the Munnar town beautification project, which got stalled after inaugurating it in 2003, would resume soon. Rs 3.5 crore have been allotted for this purpose. A 400 meter walkway on the river bank near the DTPC information centre at Old Munnar, a garden, and an open air theatre have been included in this project. The Kerala State Nirmithi Kendra has been entrusted with the construction on contract basis valid for a year.

Besides, a project worth Rs 70 lakh, too, would be approved to build a wall in order to protect the river here.