Almost six months since the work began for the construction of a zipline and suspension bridge along the periphery of the Udhagamandalam lake, the Tourism Department is yet to get clearances from the Hill Area Conservation Authority (HACA). Activists argue that such constructions, undertaken before proper clearances, defeats the purpose and spirit of building rules designed to ensure a sustainable development model for the hills.
The ₹5-crore project being undertaken under the Public-Private Partnership model was inaugurated by Tourism Minister K. Ramachandran in March, 2023. The towers being built around the lake are said to be almost 50-feet high, while the bridge itself is to span a length of 450 metres across.
The then District Collector gave assurances that the work would commence only after the approval of HACA committee, comprising Agricultural Engineering Department, Public Works Department, Forest Department and Department of Geology and Mining.
