Palakkad: Malampuzha dam has been a premier tourist destination in Kerala for decades. As the heavy rains that had been lashing the state subsided, hundreds of tourists are thronging the dam in Palakkad district to see the majestic beauty of the reservoir which is filled with water almost to the brim. On Monday, a record number of tourists visited the dam and more than Rs 2.5 lakh was collected as entry fee.
The tourists arriving at the dam are eager to visit the picturesque Kava, which is on its other side. The small waterfalls along the Ring road attract lots of tourists, especially families, who even love to take a dip in these falls.
As per the official records, more than 10 lakh tourists, including children, have reached Malampuzha this month to visit the various tourist destinations in the area. An overwhelming rush is usually seen on the holidays. Most of tourists would also visit the Link road towards Kava. There are no official means to record the number of tourists visiting Kava.
Meanwhile, fake news that the shutters of the Malampuzha dam were opened has been doing the rounds on the social media. This also led to huge crowds turning up at the dam site.
Record revenue is expected this year from Malampuzha. The current water level at the dam is 370 feet (113.63 m). If the dam keeps filling up at this pace, then the shutters would be soon opened, said the officials.
The small waterfalls and the beautiful dam premises attract many tourists to the Link Road as well. However, there are no security measures on the vast stretch that surrounds the dam premises. The police too cannot deploy its personnel at all these places. Dam executive engineer SS Padmakumar informed that the tourists should be careful when they are at the dam premises.
