Tourist attractions reopen in the Nilgiris, but footfall remains low

COIMBATORE: Tourist attractions across the Nilgiris reopened on Tuesday after a three-day closure as heavy rain subsided and weather conditions improved. However, tourist arrivals remained low amid continuing disruptions to road and rail connectivity.

Following torrential rain triggered by the Northeast monsoon, District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru had advised tourists to avoid visiting the hills for three days and ordered the closure of tourist attractions. Restrictions were also imposed on the entry of vehicles, including government buses, between 6 pm and 7 am, with exemptions for essential services.

With the rain giving way to sunshine, tourist spots reopened on Tuesday. However, several attractions, including the Government Botanical Garden in Udhagamandalam, wore a deserted look.

Restoration work continued along roads damaged by landslips and fallen trees during three days of heavy rain from Friday night. Several locations along the Ooty-Mettupalayam and Kotagiri-Ooty roads were affected by landslips and tree falls. At Burliar, a landslip brought mud and trees down onto a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus, killing its driver and injuring the conductor.

With the Mettupalayam-Coonoor road remaining closed to traffic for the fourth consecutive day, vehicles continued to be diverted through Kotagiri, resulting in congestion, particularly during morning and evening peak hours.

Meanwhile, rain on Monday night triggered another landslip between Adderley and Hillgrove railway stations, hampering restoration work on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway track. Train services between Mettupalayam and Udhagamandalam remain suspended until October 29.

In a further development, a five-member team from the Department of Geology and Mining inspected the damaged stretches between Kallar and Katteri to study the causes of the landslips and recommend remedial measures.