Ooty struggles under summer tourist rush as traffic grinds to halt
Visitors had to wait in long lines to get entry tickets and take boat rides.
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CHENNAI: A large number of tourists are flocking Ooty for a vacation this summer season.
As a result, the number of visitors to tourist spots including the botanical garden, rose garden, and boat house has seen an increase on May 2 (Friday).
According to Maalaimalar reports, visitors had to wait in long lines to get entry tickets and take boat rides. Due to the huge turnout of tourists, Ooty is experiencing heavy traffic congestion.
Vehicles are lined up on both sides of the road for about 3 km on Commercial Road, Collector's Office Road, Bus Stand, Charing Cross and Ooty-Coonoor Road.
Since the e-pass system in the Nilgiris district is in effect until June 30, 6,000 vehicles are allowed to enter the district from Monday to Friday and 8,000 vehicles on weekends.
E-pass checks are being conducted for out-of-town vehicles at the check posts of Kallar, Kunjapanai, Masinakudi and Gethai.
Meanwhile, since a one-way road was to be implemented from May 1, vehicles coming from Ooty will have to enter Ooty via Kunjappanai, and vehicles coming from Mettupalayam will have to enter Ooty via Parliyar.
But due to a shortage of traffic police to manage to rush, it is not possible to maintain one-way road in that area, resulting in some vehicles moving on two-way roads.
Due to this, there is a heavy traffic congestion at major intersections in Ooty, such as Charing Cross, Madhuvan junction, Coonoor junction, and Pinker Post Road.
Not only tourist vehicles but also local vehicles were unable to ply, due to this situation.
During the summer season, at least 250 police officers are supposed to be deployed to manage traffic. But currently, only 50 police officers are on duty. They are forced to work under a heavy workload. Social activists have stated that the traffic problem will be solved only if additional police officers are deployed.
