Visitors move out of Ooty, traders protest COVID restrictions

Already, tourists’ footfall dipped significantly over the last one week due to a spike in COVID-19 infections. Tourists from Karnataka and Kerala, who throng the hills in large numbers during summer months, have stopped coming. Only domestic tourists were turning up in moderate numbers. 

In a further blow, the imposition of restrictions, including night curfew and weekend lockdown has forced even the little number of tourists staying in cottages and resorts to vacate. 

Tourist vehicles, including cars, vans and buses lined up to climb down the Ooty Main Road, while there were hardly any vehicles moving upwards. 

The Nilgiris district administration has announced that all tourist spots, including Government Botanical Garden, Nehru Park in Kotagiri, Sims Park in Coonoor, Doddabetta Peak, Rose Park and Pykkara falls will be closed until further government orders. 

As tourists move out, the cottage and resort owners have been left with yet another year of disappointment during the summer season. 

“Given the situation, it is uncertain if the summer festival that usually brings large crowds to the hills would be held this time. Last year too, the tourism industry met with severe loss as the flower shows were cancelled due to the pandemic,” said S Rohit Kumar, who runs a home stay in Ooty. 

More than two lakh people, who are dependent on the tourism industry, both directly and indirectly for their livelihood were likely to be affected by the closure of tourist places in the hills. 

Meanwhile, traders took out a rally from Government Botanical Garden till Charing Cross junction, where they squatted in protest demanding the government to review its decision to close tourist spots in the hills to protect their livelihood. They urged the government to continue with the current procedure to allow 50 per cent of tourists in gardens and maintain COVID-19 protocol to prevent the spread of the infection. 

However, District Collector Innocent Divya said that tourists are barred from entering the hills, while those willing to come for work or business from other places can come after e-registration. People will be allowed entry only after strict scrutiny at check posts, she added.