Ooty Lake, Nilgiris
Ooty lake is located in Ooty Town in
the Nilgiris district, Tamil
Nadu, India. It covers an area of 65 acres. The Boat
house situated by the lake, which offers boating facilities to
tourists, is a major tourist attraction in Ooty. It is one of South India’s biggest
artificial lakes. The lake bunds of this lake had been breached and the lake
emptied three times after its formation.
The beautiful Ooty Lake is a favourite haunt of
tourists. It was constructed in the year 1825, through the initiatives of Mr.
John Sullivan, the then Collector of Coimbatore.
This lake was built in order to provide an irrigation tank to the people.
Although the lake is artificial, it looks beautifully natural.
This lake ranks among the top polluted lakes in a study
conducted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board sometime earlier and the
Government is taking necessary steps to improve the quality of water in the
lake. The maximum length of Ooty Lake is 2.5 kilometers and the maximum breadth
of the Ooty lake is 140 meters.
History
Ooty lake is an artificial lake constructed by John
Sullivan, in 1824. The water flowing down mountain streams in the
Ooty valley was dammed to form the lake. The lake became empty on three
occasions when it breached its bund. The lake was originally intended to be
used for fishing with ferries being used to travel across the lake. It
gradually shrunk from its original size giving place to the current bus stand
race course, and the lake park. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation
on behalf of the Tourism Department took the possession of the lake in 1973. The
Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation provided boating facilities and
organizes boat races and boat pageants here.
The Lake
Ooty Lake covers an area of 65 acres. It is one of South
India’s biggest artificial lakes. The maximum length of Ooty Lake is 2.75 Kms
and the maximum breadth of the Ooty lake is 140 meters. This lake stretches
from the central bus stand, in an irregular ‘L’ shape. The lake is surrounded
by groves of Eucalyptus trees with a railway line running along one
shore. During the summer season in May, boat races and boat pageantry are
organised for two days.
The lake has had continuous problems with rapidly
proliferating weeds (water hyacinth). The officials of
the Public Works Department(PWD),
have been continually working to clean the lake of the weeds. According to
a study conducted by Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Ooty lake is the most
polluted water body in the state and its water is not fit for potable purposes.
Boat House:
The boat house, which adjoins the lake was opened by
the Tamil Nadu Tourism
Development Corporation (TTDC). Boating is the prime attraction
at the lake. The boat house offers boating facilities with Paddle
boats, Row boats, and Motor
boats. A mini canteen is run by the TTDC. Tourists can enjoy pony
rides in front of the Boat House. During the summer season in May, boat
races and boat pageantry are organized for two days. Visitors can use boating facilities from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Entry Fees:
·
Rs 10 per
person for Indians
·
Rs 560 per
person For Foreigners
·
Rs 30 for
Still Camera
·
Rs 125 for
Video Camera
·
Rs 200 for
4-seater pedal boat for 30 minutes
·
Rs 160 for
2-seater pedal boat for 30 minutes
·
Rs 180 for
2-seater row boat for 30 minutes
·
Rs 450 for
8-seater motor boat for 20 minutes
Mini Garden:
On the way to the Boat House is the Mini Garden housing
the children's amusement park. A mini children's train is an added attraction
near the lake.
Deer Park:
A Deer Park is located on the lake road and houses
Sambars, Chitals and Hares, besides water birds.
Connectivity
Ooty Lake is
located at about 2 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 2 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 22
Kms from Coonoor, 32 Kms from Kotagiri, 53 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway
Station, 86 Kms from Coimbatore and 97 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Ooty is
well connected to Coimbatore, Kerala and Karnataka.