Visitors can now walk over Kerala's Idukki and Cheruthoni Dams: Ticket rates, timings, restrictions

Cheruthoni: Visitors can now walk across the Idukki and Cheruthoni dams, taking in their breathtaking scale up close and enjoying the panoramic views they offer. Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine recently inaugurated the distribution of entry tickets for the walk across the dam tops. According to the minister, the decision to allow visitors to enter the dams on foot was taken in view of the steady rise in tourist footfall and to provide everyone an opportunity to experience these engineering marvels firsthand.

Ticket rates, timings
The dams will be open to visitors from 10 am to 3.30 pm every day. Entry tickets cost Rs 50 for adults and Rs 30 for children. Those who prefer a buggy ride across the dam can do so for Rs 150 per head. A total of eight buggy cars have been arranged on the dam top. Each day, 3,750 visitors will be permitted entry, of whom 2,500 can walk across the dam via online booking, while 1,248 can opt for buggy rides.

If online booking slots remain unfilled, visitors can also make spot bookings. As of now, permission to visit the dams will be available till November 30. Tickets can be booked through this website. A ticket counter has also been set up near the Cheruthoni Dam entry gate for direct purchases if tickets are available after online booking.

Why restrictions earlier
Public visits to the dams were suspended following a security breach on July 22, 2023, when a youth from Palakkad trespassed into the Idukki Dam area, chained the high-mast light poles and poured an unidentified liquid on the shutters of the Cheruthoni Dam. The incident came to light during an inspection by the KSEB Dam Safety Wing on September 4, 2023. In view of the incident, the District Administration directed that the dam's security system be strengthened. Until now, visitors were allowed to view the dams only via buggy rides.