Munnar: Tourists seeking the rare delight of neelakurinji that has blanketed the hills in purple can now leave their vehicles at old Munnar and take a leisurely ride to Rajamala in a bus. The Kerala
State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will launch a special service to Eravikulam National Park in a bid to limit the rush of vehicles to the fascinating tourist destination.
Tourists can park their own vehicles at the High Altitude Stadium in old Munnar and at the Hydel Park. Ticket counters will be opened there for the bus journey. The KSRTC buses will take visitors up to the main entry gate of the National Park at Ancham Mile.
From there, forest department will transport them to Rajamala in mini buses. The KSRTC's trial run takes place on Sunday.
District Collector K Jeevan Babu held a review meeting with Munnar Wildlife Warden R Lakshmi on the traffic arrangements. Lakshmi said the National Park was geared up to receive visitors.
3,500 visitors daily
Rajamala is witnessing a heavy rush of visitors, as the kurinji flowers are in full bloom. Last Sunday, there were 2,921 visitors. Rajamala will admit 3,500 visitors every day, including those who book online and those who buy tickets at the counter.
The 'neelakurinji' belongs to the genus Strobilanthes which is a tropical plant species found in Asia and Australia. There are about 450 species of Strobilanthes in the world, of which 146 are found in India and of them, about 43, in Kerala.
The mass flowering 'neelakurinji' provides a feast for butterflies, honeybees, and other insects. The purple flowers hold a large amount of nectar, which especially attract the eastern honeybee (Apis cerana).
