Madras High Court makes Pykara mechanised-boat ban permanent; orders daily visitor cap

The Madras High Court has made permanent its interim ban on mechanised boats, speed boats, petrol or diesel boats and jet skis at Pykara Lake in the Nilgiris.

A bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and G.K. Muthukumaar issued the order on October 30, 2026, in W.P.No.27356 of 2019. Media reports on the order were published on November 3.

Visitor and opening-hour controls

• The Forest Department must assess the lake’s carrying capacity and prescribe a daily visitor limit.
• Entry must be through prior booking.
• The site may open only in daylight, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Permitted activities are limited to viewing the lake from the bank and boat house, Forest Department-guided nature walks on fixed paths, and interpretation of the forest, hydel scheme and Toda heritage.

Conditions for boats

Only a small number of row boats, pedal boats or low-power electric boats may operate within a marked stretch. Authorities must cap the fleet, the number of boats on the water at one time and issue tickets for fixed time slots.

No petrol, diesel or fuel may be brought to or stored at the site. The court directed the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation to remove mechanised boats, fuel stocks and fuel-handling facilities within two weeks and file a compliance report.

Environmental safeguards

Amplified music, artificial lighting, picnics and additional food stalls are prohibited. The site must be kept plastic-free through entrance checks, and no new construction is permitted on the banks.

The order records that an institutional study submitted to the court found petroleum hydrocarbons in water along the boating route above the IS 10500:2012 limit, while water along the banks was nearly free of them. The matter is listed for a further report on December 4, 2026.