Tourists stranded in Munnar

KOTTAYAM: Many foreign and domestic  tourists in Munnar were stranded by the sudden hartal declared on Thursday.   The tour operators were also forced to cancel a few packages  booked earlier.   The main tourism destinations in Munnar, including  Tea museum,   Mattupetty dam,  Eco point,   Kandala dam and   Top station   were lying deserted. “Four tourists from France who booked the trekking packages cancelled them,”  Mr R. Mohan of the Munnar-based ‘Pathfinders’ told DC.

Mr Ouseph Philip of  ‘Wild Kerala Tours’  said that  two packages from Bangalore and another from Mysore booked 15 days ago  were cancelled. However,  many youngsters employed in places like  Ernakulam  went to Munnar on bikes to enjoy the hartal holiday. “At least 35 of them reached the place on bikes.  Some among them went to  the tourist spots,”  said  Mr Ansil Correa, tour operator of  ‘Kestrel Adventures.’