Tourist entry barred around Mullayyanagiri, Sitalayyanagiri temporarily due to heavy rain

CHIKKAMAGALUR: Planning a trip to Chikkamagalur to enjoy the monsoon? You’ll have to put it off for a few days.

Entry of tourists will be barred between July 17 and 22 around Mullayyanagiri and Sitalayyanagiri as per an order issued by district Deputy Commissioner Meena Nagaraj. The DC said the restriction has been imposed based on a request from the Public Works Department (PWD).

“We are planning to bring some changes and we will make make tourist bookings online. The hills don’t have that much carrying capacity. If we have to taper tourist count at Mullayyanagiri, tourism has to spread to Yettina Bhuja, Sringeri, Kemmanagundi, etc., to form a circuit. Then, there won’t be much of a crowd at one place”, the DC said.

Chikkamagaluru Deputy Commissioner Meena Nagaraj briefing the media.

Responding to questions if tourists were sent back from Mullayyanagiri, she denied it and said, “No one was sent back. On Saturday, about 2,300 went there and on Sunday, there were 2,187 vehicles. They were held up because the parking area was full. As vehicles move out from there, other vehicles can be allowed”, she explained. Further, she said, “Depending on the carrying capacity, we will have to restrict movement of tourists by providing slots. We have to take into account multiple things at different stages”.

Due to continuous heavy rain around Mullayyanagiri, there have been landslips along the route and the soil is wet, making it dangerous for vehicles to ply. Also, since the road are narrow, rescue would become difficult in case of any mishap, the authorities noted.

It is expected that tourist entry at Mullayyanagiri and Sitalayyanagiri may be resumed after July 22 if the situation improves.