Theni (TN) : With the Hindustan Lever willing to hand over the Chinnamanur-Megamalai Maharaja Mettu Road running through its tea estate to the district administration for maintenance and widening, the picturesque hilly tract of Megamalai in Theni is set to become a tourist destination.

A top official of the company told PTI that though the firm was controlling the road on a 99-year lease, it has decided to hand over the road 30 years ahead of the expiry of the lease agreement to help the government promote tourism.

It will also help the 11,200 residents of the villages around the Megamalai commute with ease during night hours. The opening of the road would benefit villages including "11-mile", Venniyaru, Pachaikumachi, Manalaru, Upper Manalaru, Eravangalaru.

As the Hindustan Lever company had put up checkposts in the road, the residents had problems in commuting to nearby towns, said Keppuraj, a local resident. He said opening of the road would benefit them.

The Hindustan Lever official said they had closed Erangalaru unit of the factory following steep fall in the prices of tea. "That is one reason for opening up the road and handing it over to the district administration." Officials said the coming Summer festival could be held in Megamalai, which is incidentally a place where elephants and other wild animals visit frequently for mating. The animals from Sabarimala also migrate to Megamalai.

The state government had also announced its plan to widen the road to Megamalai.