Poor lighting, safety concerns mar Mannathoor’s tourism potential
Pallithazham in Thirumarady has scenic tourist potential, but poor lighting, anti-social drinking, and potential quarrying threaten its appeal. Locals urge authorities to improve security, install streetlights, and promote planned tourism development.
Pallithazham in Thirumarady has scenic tourist potential, but poor lighting, anti-social drinking, and potential quarrying threaten its appeal. Locals urge authorities to improve security, install streetlights, and promote planned tourism development.
Pallithazham in Thirumarady has scenic tourist potential, but poor lighting, anti-social drinking, and potential quarrying threaten its appeal. Locals urge authorities to improve security, install streetlights, and promote planned tourism development.
Ernakulam: A mix of rolling hills, lush paddy fields, a canal aqueduct, hilltop churches and a temple nestled amid the fields gives Pallithazham in Mannathoor, Thirumarady panchayat, all the makings of a tourist draw. But poor lighting and anti-social activities after dark threaten to undermine its appeal.
Located near the Thodupuzha-Ramamangalam road, the area attracts visitors, particularly in the mornings and evenings. However, the lack of streetlights leaves the stretch unsafe after 6.30 pm. The MLA Padi junction near the aqueduct and the junction near the churches remain poorly lit, leaving the area in pitch darkness after dusk. Local residents say they are afraid to walk along the aqueduct at night.
The MVIP canal aqueduct has become a gathering spot for people who park their vehicles nearby and drink on the structure, leaving behind bottles and other waste. Bottles thrown into the paddy fields below pose a hazard to farmers, who risk injuries from glass shards while working in the fields.
Groups also gather beneath the aqueduct to drink, prompting residents to seek intensified police patrolling. They have called for high-mast lights at MLA Padi, the beginning of the aqueduct and Pallithazham junction to improve visibility and make the area safer for visitors.
Meanwhile, opposition is growing against attempts by quarry operators to take over nearby hills. Residents fear quarrying could damage the natural landscape that gives the region its scenic appeal. They have urged the panchayat to draw up a tourism development plan that showcases the area's natural beauty and places of worship. Better lighting and security, coupled with a planned tourism initiative, could help Pallithazham emerge as a local tourist destination, they say.