‘Govt. to spend ₹6.5 crore for facilities in Dhanushkodi, nearby places’

Tourism Minister R. Rajendran inspecting a TTDC hotel in Rameswaram on Sunday.
| Photo Credit: L. BALACHANDAR

The Tamil Nadu government has proposed to spend ₹6.5 crore towards infrastructural facilities in the famous tourist spot – Dhanushkodi and other surrounding locations in Ramanathapuram district, said Tourism Minister R. Rajendran on Sunday.

The Minister went around the TTDC hotel close to the Agneetheertham, visited Dhanuskodi Road, Rameswaram, Mandapam, Ariyamaan beach and others with Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, MP Navas Kani, senior officials from the Tourism department, including AGM David Prabhakaran, RM Guneswaran, Regional Finance Officer Rajeswari, RDO Raja Manoharan, Tourism Officer Nithya Kalyani and TTDC Manager Anand Kumar.

He told media persons that the district received the highest number of tourists from various destinations. For a number over two crore, the government would add on more infrastructure.

Following requests, it had been decided to install a high-mast lamp near the Seeniappa dargah. Likewise, the Rameswaram temple too would get more facilities inside and outside the shrine for the visiting devotees. Plans are afoot to establish a helipad near Dhanuskodi, he said and visited the site at Natarajapuram, he added.

The rooms at the TTDC hotel would be refurbished, he responded to a query and said that the kitchen would be renovated.

“I have asked the officers to prepare a plan and submit… We will get it done,” he said.

The government, he said, is keen on promoting tourism and educating the visitors to keep the surrounding clean and green. Only when the tourist spots sported a clean look, it would attract more people. The tourism earned huge revenues, but it would be the responsibility of each one to keep the eco-system in a proper manner.