An artificial waterfall to built to attract tourists, now turned as a washing place for local people on Sirumalai hills near Dindigul.
| Photo Credit: G. KARTHIKEYAN
With the Tamil Nadu government allocating ₹10 crore in the recent budget for the development of Sirumalai in Dindigul district, work has begun to create new infrastructure and strengthen the existing ones to enhance the tourist experience in the hills.
The Tourism Department has zeroed in on Pithavadian and Partners, an architectural firm from Chennai, and a work order has been given for doing a preliminary survey in the hills. The team from the firm is now stationed in Sirumalai and has initiated the task.
Govardhan from the architectural firm says, “we have been asked to work on some of the tourist spots in the area and we are exploring the sites and spatial analysis work has begun.”
The first on the list of renovation is the artificial waterfall, a ₹33-lakh project that was built in the year 2022. It was built across a rain-fed stream. Now, this tourist site has fallen in disuse and the local people use the water that trickles through for washing purposes. Little knowing that this would lead to pollution downstream.
According to Tourism Officer H. Govindaraj plans are afoot to increase the height of the waterfall from the existing 12-feet. “There are also plans to clean the area and refurbish the existing structure with walkway and seating arrangements,” he adds.
A new watchtower is also on the cards and the process has begun to choose a site near the artificial waterfall which could be a vantage point, giving a bird’s-eye view of Dindigul town.
A small pond with smattering of water lilies, that lies adjacent to the road, will also get a facelift with a walkway and seating arrangements to be constructed around it.
Mr. Govindaraj adds that there is also a proposal to turn the 22-acres government sericulture farm that has become defunct into a glow garden. This, he says, will give an illuminated experience to tourists. There are also plans to either build or reconstruct an existing government building into a guest house, he adds.
As Dindigul Collector S. Saravanan along with other officials visited Sirumalai recently to take stock of the work in progress, residents hope that the renewed interest would give a new fillip to tourism in the region.
Published – June 18, 2025 05:45 pm IST
