separate company, Kannan Devan Hills Corporation (KDHC), was registered to operate the tea estates which was later taken over by the American Direct Tea Trading Company Ltd., who owned 26 estates, most with coffee and some with Cinchona, almost all in the area except for a few in the lower areas. The former Kundala Valley Railway through Munnar, established in 1902, was destroyed by the Great flood of 99 that occurred in 1924 across the modern-day state of Kerala. Many dams were constructed in Idukki district during the Travancore rule in the region. The transportation facility through the dense forests of Idukki was also improved during the period. The controversial Mullaperiyar Dam was also constructed during the period. During the Travancorean administration, the British Princely state of Travancore was divided into four revenue divisions- the Northern division headquartered at Kottayam, the Central division headquartered at Kollam, the Southern division headquartered at Thiruvananthapuram, and the High Range division with its headquarters at Devikulam. The High Range division in the northeastern part of Travancore included the Taluks of Devikulam and Peerumade. Thodupuzha region was however included in the northernmost division of the British Princely state of Travancore. Kottayam was the headquarters of the northernmost revenue division in Travancore which also included the Taluks of North Paravur, Kunnathunad, Muvattupuzha, Meenachil, Changanassery, Kottayam, Vaikom, and Cherthala in 1931, in addition to Thodupuzha. Post Independence (1947-Present) At the time of the integration of the state of Travancore and Cochin into the state of Travancore-Cochin in 1949 following the integration of the British Princely states of Travancore and Cochin into the Dominion of India, the erstwhile revenue divisions were reorganised into districts and the Divan Peshkars gave way to district collectors, paving the way for the birth of the Kottayam district on 1 July 1949, which had also included the modern-day district of Idukki in it. The erstwhile Kingdom of Cochin was reorganized into Thrissur district and Taluks of North Paravur and Kunnathunad were transferred to that district. Similarly the Cherthala Taluk was transferred into the newly formed Kollam district on 1 July 1949. The High Range division of the erstwhile Travancore was merged with the remaining Taluks of the erstwhile Kottayam division to form the Kottayam district as a part of the inauguration of the new Indian state of Travancore-Cochin on 1 July 1949. The new district of Kottayam at that time contained eight Taluks