Pykara
Encyclopedia
Pykara is a river located 19 km from Ooty in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
. The Pykara is considered very sacred by the Todas. The 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. The river has a dam and power plant.
The river flows through 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 km from the bridge on the main road. There is a forest rest House at Pykara. A boat house by the Pykara falls and Dam is added attractions to the tourists.Pykara boasts of well protected fenced Sholas, Toda settlements, undistributed grassy meadows and also a good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam, Pykara falls and the reservoir attracts many tourists.
The Pykara station, declared as a heritage plant in September 1997, triggered the establishment of more hydro stations in the state. Today, the Niligiris district itself boasts of hydro stations having an aggregate installed capacity of 837 MW. Five decades after establishment of the old plant, the EB authorities came up with a plan for the PUSHEP having three units of 50 MW each. The construction of an underground powerhouse, 17 tunnels and the hydraulic head of 1039 metres are the special features of the new plant. According to the EB, such a hydraulic head is the highest in Asia. The access point to the powerhouse is a 1.5-km-long tunnel.
A boat house by the Pykara falls and Dam is added attractions to the tourists. The boat house with restaurant is maintained by Tamil Nadu Tourism & Development Corporation
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. The Pykara is considered very sacred by the Todas. The 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. The river has a dam and power plant.
The river flows through 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 km from the bridge on the main road. There is a forest rest House at Pykara. A boat house by the Pykara falls and Dam is added attractions to the tourists.Pykara boasts of well protected fenced Sholas, Toda settlements, undistributed grassy meadows and also a good wildlife habitat. The Pykara Dam, Pykara falls and the reservoir attracts many tourists.
Pykara Dam and Power Station
The dam is situated close to the falls and comprises a power station. One of the oldest 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. C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar followed up with the British regime in 1920s and 1930s for implementation of the Pykara project. A team of engineers led by H.G.Howard, a chief engineer in the then Electricity department, had executed the project.The Pykara station, declared as a heritage plant in September 1997, triggered the establishment of more hydro stations in the state. Today, the Niligiris district itself boasts of hydro stations having an aggregate installed capacity of 837 MW. Five decades after establishment of the old plant, the EB authorities came up with a plan for the PUSHEP having three units of 50 MW each. The construction of an underground powerhouse, 17 tunnels and the hydraulic head of 1039 metres are the special features of the new plant. According to the EB, such a hydraulic head is the highest in Asia. The access point to the powerhouse is a 1.5-km-long tunnel.
Boat House