Initiatives/Schemes
Tamil Nadu’s first Dark Sky Park
- Context: The Tamil Nadu government has announced the launch of the State’s first Dark Sky Park at the Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest in Kolli Hills in Namakkal district.
- Dark Sky Park is a protected landscape with minimal artificial light pollution, enabling clear observation of celestial bodies such as the moon, stars and planets.
- Kolli Hills, with its elevated terrain, dense forest cover and low urban light disturbance, offers ideal conditions for night-sky preservation and astronomical observation.
- The project, announced in the Assembly on June 25, 2024, was established at a cost of ₹1 crore after assessing ecological suitability and sky visibility at the Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest.
- The park is equipped with three advanced telescopes for structured sky-watching sessions and solar panels to power on-site operations sustainably.
Chennai Ula 2.0
- Context: 6 special electric air-conditioned tourist buses have been launched under the name “Chennai Ula 2.0”.
- 5 traditional buses under the name “Chennai Ula” have been in operation since January 14.
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- Ticket fare is Rs. 100 – one ticket can be used for the entire day. You can also get an electronic ticket through the “Chennai One” app.
- Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) was established in 1971.
- Tamil Nadu ranks second in India in terms of tourist arrivals.
Chennai One
- Chennai One is a mobile app launched on September 22, 2025.
- The app acts as an integrated platform for planning and booking trips across the city of Chennai.
