Kalpetta: The tourism industry in Wayanad came to a grinding halt as torrential rain continued to lash across the district for the past week. Resorts and homestays, which receive better footfalls during monsoon, are now feeling the pinch as many tourists have cancelled their visits due to reports of rain havoc. Major roads in the district, including the Thamarassery Ghat Road and Palchuram Ghat Road have witnessed landslips that stall the vehicular movements. The Bengaluru-Kozhikode highway is inundated, while the Kalpetta by-pass has witnessed a minor landslip with water and slush rushing onto the road on Wednesday.
With rivers running near spate and mountain streams overflowing, and the threat of landslides hanging over the environmentally sensitive zones, District Collector Meghasree DR ordered a ban on entry of visitors to all major tourism spots in the district till further notice. Following the order, tourist spots such as Edakkal Caves at Ambalavayal and En Ooru and the tribal heritage village at Lakkidy near Vythiri were closed to visitors. While the Soochipara Waterfalls was closed earlier, entry of tourists to Kanthanpara Waterfalls has been regulated. Visitors are not allowed to enter the water and can only enjoy the grandeur of the gushing waters away from a distance.
The trekking trails of the district, including Chembra Peak, Kurumbalakkotta and Pakshipathalam are shut to visitors. The entry of tourists to adventure parks, both under private and public ownership, including the Thollayiramkandi Adventure Park near Meppadi, has been banned till further orders. The Collector has also advised people to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly during the night. As per the order, resort owners and travel operators have to ensure that no tourist is allowed to enter into water bodies and trekking trails, till further notice.
