Pykara Dam & Waterfalls, Ooty, Nilgiris
Pykara Dam & Waterfalls is situated near Ooty Town
in Ooty Taluk in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. The Pykara River is considered very
sacred by the Todas. It rises at Mukurthi peak, flows
northwards, and then turns to the west after reaching the edge of the
plateau. The river flows through Mukurthi, Pykara and Glenmorgan dams, and
forms part of an important hydro-electric power project.
Pykara boasts well-protected, fenced sholas, Toda
settlements, large grassy meadows and good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam,
falls and reservoir attract many tourists. Pykara features a subtropical highland climate (Cwb)
under Köppen climate classification.
Pykara, due to its location in the Nilgiris gets rain from both the monsoons. The wet season runs from April
to December and the dry season from January to March.
Pykara Dam & Power Station
The dam is situated near the main Ooty–Gudalur road and
includes a power station. One of the oldest power plants in south India, the
Pykara station still functions, generating about 60 megawatts. The first unit
of 6.65 MW was commissioned in October 1932. Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar,
Diwan of Travancore, worked with the British regime in 1920s and 1930s in the
setting up of the Pykara project.
A team of engineers led by H.G. Howard, a chief engineer
in the then electricity department, was responsible for carrying out the
project. The Pykara Station, declared as a heritage plant in September 1997,
triggered the establishment of more hydro-electric power stations in the state.
Today, the Nilgiris district alone boasts hydro-electric stations with an
aggregate installed capacity of 837 MW.
Five decades after establishment of the old plant, the
Electricity Board (EB) authorities came up with a plan for the Pykara Ultimate
Stage Hydro Electric Plant (PUSHEP), containing three units of 50 MW each. The
construction of an underground powerhouse, 17 tunnels and the hydraulic
head of 1,039 meters (3,409 ft) are the special features
of the new plant. According to the EB, the hydraulic head is the highest in
Asia. The access to the powerhouse is a tunnel 1.5 Kms (0.9 mi) long.
Pykara Water Falls
Pykara River rises at Mukurthi peak. It passes through
hilly tract, generally keeping to North and turns to West after reaching the
Plateau's edge. It gets down majestically in a series of cascades; and the last
two falls of 55 meters and 61 meters are known as Pykara falls. The falls are
approximately 6 Kms (4 mi) from the bridge on the main road. There is a
forest rest house at Pykara.
Pykara Boat House
A boat house on the Pykara Reservoir is an added
attraction for tourists. The boat house with restaurant is maintained by Tamil
Nadu Tourism and Development Corporation. It consists of several boats and has
motor boats which are allowed for 20 minutes and speed boats which are allowed
for 10 minutes.
Connectivity
Pykara is located at about 2 Kms from Pykara Bus Stop,
12 Kms from Wenlock Downs, 24 Kms from Ooty, 23 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 23 Kms
from Ooty Railway Station, 42 Kms from Coonoor, 52 Kms from Kotagiri, 73 Kms
from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 107 Kms from Coimbatore and 119 Kms from
Coimbatore Airport. The Pykara Lake is about 21 kms from Ooty on the
Ooty-Mysore road. Pykara is situated on the Ooty – Mysore road and can be
reached by different transportation modes, such as cars, taxis and buses.