Valparai hit by dusk-to-dawn restrictions

COIMBATORE: Time restrictions on tourists coming to Valparai, a popular hill retreat, has caused distress to the tourism sector.

It has been nearly two months since tourists were barred from travelling to the hills, nestled in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve from 6 pm to 7 am. Vehicles have been stopped by the forest department at the check post in Aliyar after 6 p.m. since August, this year. Such curbs were meant to prevent tourists from causing disturbance to wild animals.

Ever since these restrictions came into vogue, the hill station has begun to witness a sharp decline in the arrival of tourists and thereby has affected the local economy. On the other hand, the curbs have become a boon for wildlife.

“Tourist arrivals have dipped by 50 per cent. Advance bookings for ‘Ayudha pooja’ holidays remain dismal as less than 70 per cent of the resorts and cottages were booked so far. Normally, by this time in the previous years, all tourist stays would have got filled up and surplus bookings will be spilling over to faraway areas and as well as to Pollachi,” said N Babuji, president of Valparai Cottage Owners Association.

It is feared that the livelihood of over 1,000 families dependent directly on the 300-odd cottages and homestays in Valparai and hundreds of others like cab operators, auto drivers, hotels, caterers, and merchants are at stake. Apart from tourism, a slowdown in tourist arrivals is also likely to affect other allied sectors.

“Multiple representations made to Ministers and officials of the forest department are of no avail. In places like Thorapalli in Krishnagiri and Dhimbam ghat road in Erode, the check posts are closed only around 9 p.m. Those places are not even taluks, while Valparai is a municipality. Curbing the movement of people will ruin the hill economy totally,” said Babuji.

The tourism potential of Valparai Hills has come into the spotlight of tourists only now. As the pleas have not evoked any response, representatives of various sectors involved in the tourism business are gearing up to organise marathon protests, including hoisting black flags in houses, fasting, and also besieging the forest department office.

“Tourists from Kerala who come to Athirapally take a drive down to Valparai, but now it has been hit. Even domestic tourists who start from Coimbatore after their work hours have stopped coming due to the existing time restrictions. We don’t get any business at all in evenings,” said R Farooq Mohammed, cab driver.

Echoing similar views, Shaji George, secretary of the Valparai Merchants Association said there can be restrictions in places like Top Slip, but it becomes pointless in a municipality like Valparai with residential colonies.

“Most of the tourists come on leisure travel. For travelers on a business visit, it has become impossible to proceed with their plan. Even for regular travelers, the restrictions have become a bane. The time restrictions will have a drastic effect on the local economy,” he said.

Instead of imposing restrictions, the forest department could easily intensify patrol on the ghat stretch to prevent violations by tourists. “Buses ply as usual in the evenings and there are no issues even if tourists come by buses. But, only those coming by vehicles are stopped,” he said.

Municipality resolution

Meanwhile, the Valparai Municipality has recently passed a resolution against the time restrictions and sought for its roll back. “A resolution was passed in the council against the time curbs, which fringes upon not only the movement of tourists, but also of others, who come for visiting relatives. We have also sent petitions along with resolution copies to Coimbatore Collector Kranthi Kumar Pati, Chief Minister MK Stalin, and other authorities,” said Alagu Sundaravalli, chairperson of Valparai Municipality.

On weekends, up to 10,000 people used to come to enjoy the weather in the hills. “But this weekend, there were hardly any tourists due to restrictions. We will discuss with merchants and decide on our next step of action,” added the chairperson.

Turns positive for wildlife

However, the forest department officials claimed that restrictions has in turn given the desirable positive results in terms of reduced road kills and also paved the way for unhindered movement of wild animals.

“By late evenings, Nilgiri Tahr could be seen standing along the roadside, and before they felt disturbed by the presence of people. Road kills have also reduced,” said D Venkatesh, Valparai Forest Ranger.

He added that there are however no restrictions on the movement of local residents and they are allowed to go as usual.