Crowded tourist spots in Kanniyakumari

With a long weekend and Independence Day falling on Monday, the influx of tourists from various cities and states has increased in the district.

The tourist sites in the area were crowded. In many places, the poor infrastructure facilities of the Department of Tourism and the district administration have been exposed.

Knowing that there would be a large crowd due to the holiday, the official apparatus should have prepared. However, only two boats – Pothigai and Guhan operated to transport tourists. The Thiruvalluvar statue, which is also a must-see spot for visitors, could not be reached as renovations were underway, tourists complained.

At least 50,000 people from as far away as Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other districts of Tamil Nadu and neighboring Kerala have arrived here since Saturday morning in private cars and vans. As a result, the Nagercoil-Tiruvananthapuram highway suffered traffic jams during the day.

People thronged to Bhagavathi Amman Temple, Vivekananda Kendra, Thirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam, Gandhi Mandapam, Kamarajar Mandapam, sunrise/sunset points, the beach, Padmanabhapuram Palace and the famous Theerparappu waterfalls.

A staff member said he issued tickets to at least 5,000 tourists for a boat ride, while another 10,000 or more returned because the wait time for the trip was at least three hours.

Arrangements for visiting tourists were very poor and many women with children could not find accommodation and were seen stranded on the roads.

A tourism department official said room reservations at hotels and resorts had been full since August 11. Many hotel managers also said reservations were made through their online portals a long time ago. The alternative was to go to Kerala or Tirunelveli to spend the night and come back here in the morning, they added.