Exhaustive planning and a streamlined system of communication between all police personnel deployed to control traffic ensured that the peak tourist inflow into Udhagamandalam town during the weekend’s annual flower show was managed effectively, with no major traffic issues being reported, said Nilgiris District Superintendent of Police, S. Prabhakar.
Every year, traffic problems plague the town during the summer tourist season, especially during the season’s main event – the annual flower show. Police had been well prepared to manage the vehicular traffic that would peak during the weekend, with officials estimating that more than 30,000 vehicles had entered Udhagamandalam town on Sunday alone.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Prabhakar said that the police had identified different spots across the town where historically, traffic jams and gridlocks would form. “We focused on these areas, deploying police personnel, including sub-inspectors to control traffic,” he said. The SP said that 18 different locations had been identified for parking tourist vehicles. “Police personnel were constantly being briefed about the availability of parking at each of these places, with vehicles being diverted to areas where parking was available if parking at one location became full,” said Mr. Prabhakar. A total of 1,000 police personnel were deployed across the district, with over 650 personnel being deployed in Udhagamandalam town alone, he added.
