17-05-2025
Mangalam Falls to be reopened to visitors in a couple of weeks, says Forest Department
With Mangalam Falls in the Pachamalai Hills of Tiruchi district receiving water flow following the recent wet spell, those who frequent the spot have urged the Forest Department to open the falls to visitors for bathing. The Department has said it would reopen the spot in a couple of weeks.
Mangalam Falls is a little-known picnic spot near Thuraiyur in Tiruchi. According to locals, there has been an inflow of water over the past few days.
The waterfall is located about 14 km from Top Sengattupatti, which is accessible by road from Tiruchi via Thuraiyur and Uppilliyapuram. From Top Sengattupatti, visitors must pass through the villages of Chinna Pakkalam, Periya Pakkalam, and Chinna Mangalam to reach the falls, which attracts a steady stream of picnickers whenever there is water flow.
Maintenance work
The Forest Department is currently undertaking maintenance and development work at the waterfall, as part of a tourism development project involving the Forest, Tourism, and Rural Development Departments. The project was sanctioned at an estimated cost of about ₹4 crore under the Tamil Nadu Innovation Initiatives. The creation of basic infrastructure at Koraiyar and Mangalam Falls is among the components of the project.
With the Forest Department keeping the entrance to the Mangalam Falls barricaded, visitors have been left disappointed. The department is currently engaged in fixing protective iron handrails for visitors to bathe safely at the falls, besides providing concrete flooring at the bathing spots.
When contacted, District Forest Officer S. Krithiga told The Hindu that the maintenance work would be completed soon and the waterfall would be open to visitors in a couple of weeks.
