Trekking to Malayamarutha, Mutthodi soon: JLR chief

Here is a piece of good news for tourists and trekkers.

Jungle Lodges and Resorts Limited chairperson A N Mahesh on Thursday said that trekking to Mutthodi and Malayamaruta will be started soon.

Speaking to media after inspecting the ongoing work on restoring the kalyani (pond) on the premises of the Kodandaramaswamy temple at Hiremagalur and the construction of a Yatri Nivas here, Mahesh said, “Trekking at Kudremukh has been started, with a package of Rs 1,300 per person and including trekking, food and accommodation. A fee of Rs 3,000 has been fixed for home stays to obtain permission from the gram panchayat.”

To provide infrastructure to tourists in the district, the government has given its permission to lay concrete roads from Seethalaiahanagiri to Pandaravalli at an estimated cost of Rs four crore and from Datta Peetha to Manikyadhara at Rs two crore. At Mullayyanagiri, efforts will be made to arrange vehicles for tourists, in association with private parties.

On the ongoing pond works at Kodandaramaswamy temple, Mahesh said that the work is expected to be completed by this month, while the work on the Yatri Nivas and concrete road on the temple premises will be taken up soon. A stone mantapa in the middle of the pond will also be restored, he added.

“The other attractions planned are the boating centre at Ayyanakere at Kadur taluk, followed by the building of the Yatri Nivas near Ranganathaswamy temple at Sakharayapatna and the Athithi Bhavan near Adi Subramanya Temple at Gonibeedu in Mudigere taluk,” Mahesh said.

He added that a hi-tech toilet will be built at the Gandhi Maidan in Sringeri town, while a park near Mallikarjuna Temple will be developed further. The other works include installing a suspension bridge from Gandhi Maidan to Kalkatte, bathing ghat at the shore of the Tunga River and work on the road leading to Gangadhareshwara Temple at Mulavalli.

Sign boards for the benefit of tourists will be put up near tourist spots, while a dedicated website on the tourist spots in the district will be developed.

Assistant Director of Tourism Department Raju was also present during the spot inspection.