A view of the children’s park inside the tourist centre at Mukkombu in Tiruchi.
| Photo Credit: R, Vengadesh
The State Tourism Department is working on a fresh proposal for establishing a theme park at Mukkombu (Upper Anicut), a popular picnic destination on the outskirts of the city.The department is expected to call for fresh tenders for establishing the theme park as a tender floated last year has been cancelled. The proposal was announced in the Assembly by former Tourism Minister R. Rajendran during the previous DMK regime in 2025.The Tourism Department subsequently floated a tender inviting bids for establishing the theme park on public-private partnership mode on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis. The theme park was planned to be established on about 3.75 acres.However, sources in the department say the tender was subsequently cancelled. Following the change of government, the department is now reworking the proposal as the district administration wants to widen the scope of the project. Though details of the proposed initiative are yet to emerge, a fresh tender will be floated soon.Tiruchi residents have for long been pointing out that the city has very few entertainment avenues and a theme park would offer a choice after the Tiruchi Birds Park and the Butterfly Park.Villagers around Mukkombu have also suggested the revival of a deer park, which existed at the picnic park until a couple of decades ago. Citing sporadic incidents of deer being killed in accidents, K. Anandraj, a resident of Perugamani has suggested the revival of the deer park between Cauvery and Kollidam Rivers.“We came to know through our village elders that a deer park had existed at Mukkombu until 2006 when some of the animals were washed away in floods. The Forest Department records also list a mini zoo at Mukkombbu. So, a deer park can be re-established not only as an added attraction for visitors to Mukkombu but also to provide a safe habitat for the animals,” Mr. Anandaraj said. Published - August 11, 2026 09:26 pm IST
