With the Pongal holidays bringing with it a surge in tourist flow to the Nilgiris’ major towns of Udhagamandalam and Coonoor, lack of parking space, contributing to higher road congestion has become even more apparent, with local activists calling on the district administration and police to stipulate that businesses need to have adequate parking to operate.
Throughout the week, roads across Udhagamandalam town, including Commercial Road, Ettines Road, Garden Road and Good Shed Road, have witnessed significant traffic snarls due to a number of factors, including huge inflow of tourists and illegal parking of vehicles.
Local business owners and residents, who do not have adequate parking spaces for their businesses and houses, park not only their vehicles, but also encourage visitors and patrons to park their vehicles by the side of the road, allege motorists and local residents.
R. Vishal, who had travelled from Gudalur to Udhagamandalam by a TNSTC bus on Sunday for business, said there were significant delays exiting Gudalur town and while entering Udhagamandalam due to traffic snarls. “Though police personnel are trying their best to regulate traffic, illegal parking by the side of the already narrow roads within the towns leads to larger vehicles, such as trucks and buses, struggling to navigate through the town and into the bus stand,” he said.
Strict action should be taken against businesses that encourage customers to park their vehicles on the main roads, said G. Janardhanan, president of the Ooty Public Awareness Association.
He said rules should be framed, where tourist buses were allotted specified times throughout the day when they would be let into town, such as during the early morning or in the evenings. “Once the buses are allowed into town, tourist operators must be encouraged to only use local taxis, buses and public transport to minimise traffic jams,” he said.
The Nilgiris district Superintendent of Police P. Sundaravadivel had already participated in a meeting with hotel and restaurant owners in the district emphasising the need for owners to ensure adequate parking for visitors, failing which action would be initiated.
