Fri Jun 13 10:10:03 UTC 2025: **Summary:**

The Collector of the Nilgiris district, Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, spearheaded an effort to uncover and preserve a nearly 200-year-old milestone in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. The milestone, which once guided travelers to an inspection bungalow (now the Coonoor Judicial Magistrate Court), had become obscured by mud and debris over time. The Collector ordered the removal of the debris, revealing the stone for the first time in years. The district administration plans to collaborate with INTACH and local NGOs to protect the milestone with a fence, landscaping, and structural support. Local heritage enthusiasts are hopeful that this initiative will encourage the preservation of other historical structures in the region.

**News Article:**

**Nilgiris Collector Unearths and Preserves Historic Milestone**

**UDHAGAMANDALAM, June 13, 2025** – In a move lauded by local heritage enthusiasts, Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru has spearheaded the preservation of a nearly 200-year-old milestone in Coonoor, Tamil Nadu. The milestone, bearing the inscription “1 MILE TO THE BUNGALOW,” once guided travelers along the Old Ooty Road to an inspection bungalow, now the Coonoor Judicial Magistrate Court.

Over time, the historical marker had been obscured by mud and debris from road repairs. Upon learning of the milestone’s existence during a visit to Coonoor, Collector Tanneeru ordered the removal of the accumulated material, revealing the complete rock for the first time in many years.

“The complete rock is now visible for the first time in many years,” Ms. Tanneeru told *The Hindu*.

The district administration is now working with the Nilgiris chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and local NGOs to erect a protective fence, implement landscaping, and provide structural support to the milestone, safeguarding it from potential landslips and soil erosion. The Coonoor municipality is also supporting the preservation effort.

Local history enthusiasts are celebrating the Collector’s initiative, hoping it will serve as a catalyst for the preservation of other endangered heritage structures within the Nilgiris district. The milestone, believed to date back to around 1833, serves as a tangible link to the region’s rich history and its significance as a gateway to the hills.

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