Two new viewpoint towers atop Sanjeevirayar Hills near Katpadi and Jamunamarathur in Jawadhu Hills in Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts were inaugurated on Tuesday to attract tourists and as part of environmental protection.
Officials of the Department of Tourism, which executed the work, said that at present, Sanjeevirayar Hills in Brahmapuram village near Katpadi has an ancient Perumal temple where a large number of devotees from surrounding districts and Andhra Pradesh visit every day. Along with tourism officials, Collector V.R. Subbulaxmi opened the tower.
The hills, which are around eight km from the foothills, can be easily accessible due to the existing bitumen stretch. Bus services also ply to the hillock temple.
Water and lighting facilities are also available at the temple premises. CCTV cameras are also installed for surveillance purposes. “The viewpoint tower atop Sanjeevirayar Hills can draw local visitors in Vellore and Ranipet as the hills are located on the border of the two districts. It can be a common tourist spot for them. Tourists from other places can also reach the tower easily,” K. Muthusamy, District Tourism Officer In-Charge (Vellore), told The Hindu.
Spread over 1,500 sq ft, the viewpoint tower near Katpadi is built at a cost of ₹1 crore. It can accommodate at least 80 visitors at a time. Side walls have been built to a height of two metres with steel railings to prevent children from falling down the hillock. Visitors can view thick forests, wild species, and landmark spots like Thiruvalluvar University and VIT from the tower.
At Tiruvannamalai, the new viewpoint tower, which was built at a cost of ₹46 lakh, is located in Palamarathur tribal hamlet, around three km from Jamunamarathur village in Jawadhu Hills. Located in the thick forests, the open viewpoint tower can be accessed through a pathway. It is located inside adventure tourist site premises, which is maintained by the Department of Tourism. It is also closer to the seasonal Bheeman falls on the hills.
Forest officials said that such towers also help increase footfall of tourists in the hills, which have 279 tribal habitations. Home to the Indian gaur, the hills also have a large number of spotted deer, jackal, a tusker, and peacocks.
Published – March 04, 2026 05:30 am IST
