Tenkasi: Tourists have been barred from entering the Main Falls at Courtallam in Tamil Nadu’s Tenkasi district after authorities resumed repair work that remained unfinished when the previous tourist season began.
The reduced water flow has enabled workers to restart construction at the popular bathing spot. Officials said the work was aimed at strengthening the bathing area and protecting it against damage during floods.
Large stones are being installed at the base of the waterfall, where repairs had been interrupted to accommodate visitors during the season. Renovation began last year, when the old arch at the Main Falls was removed. A new, larger arch was subsequently built a short distance away, while stone-laying work was also undertaken on the lower level of the bathing area.
However, the arrival of the Courtallam season before the work could be completed prompted authorities to allow tourists to bathe at the falls.
The remaining repairs were consequently deferred, leaving portions of the project unfinished. With the water flow now declining, workers have returned to complete the pending work.
Authorities have closed the Main Falls to visitors while construction proceeds, preventing access to the area where stones are being laid.
At present, only a small quantity of water is falling over the section designated for men. This flow is being diverted so that workers can install stones on the ground and complete repairs to the bathing surface.
The installation of large stones forms part of efforts to prevent floodwaters from damaging the area. Completing the work before the northeast monsoon begins is the immediate priority, officials indicated.
The closure means tourists arriving at the Main Falls will be unable to enter the site or bathe there during the repair period. Access will remain restricted while the work is underway.
Authorities said bathing would be permitted once the repairs were completed before the onset of the northeast monsoon. No specific reopening date was provided, with access linked to completion of the pending construction.
The latest work continues the renovation undertaken last year, covering the unfinished stone-laying and measures intended to protect the bathing area during periods of heavy flow. For now, the diversion of the remaining water has made it possible to carry out repairs directly beneath the falls. Officials have maintained the entry ban to allow those works to proceed.
(IANS)
