Chennai, Nov 13 : The northeast monsoon rains that lashed the Nilgiri district, killing 43 people and destroying several homes and standing crops, has caused losses worth about Rs. 300 crore, Communication and Information Technology Minister A. Raja said Friday.

Raja, who is elected to the Lok Sabha from the Nilgiri district, was overseeing the relief operations.

"The initial estimate of damages to properties is around Rs. 300 crore. Traffic has been opened to Ooty from Friday and in three days time tourists can start visiting the hill station," he told reporters in Ooty.

Assuring the people that the damaged houses would be rebuilt on a war footing, Raja said in future permission for building construction would not be given on mountain slopes and on areas prone to earthquakes.

Actor-turned politician Vijayakant said the rains caused such a havoc in Nilgiri because illegal tree felling and quarrying affected the ecological balance in the region.(IANS)