Residents of Udhagamandalam town have asked the Horticulture Department to allow local residents to use government gardens and parks for walking, after the department has begun charging steep tariff and stipulated strict timings for morning walkers.
According to local residents, the officials from the Horticulture Department have begun insisting on an annual pass, which needs to be applied and paid for to be able to access the sprawling campus of the Government Botanical Garden, Rose Garden and other areas that are under the control of the Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops.
P. Rani, a resident of Udhagamandalam, said she was told that even if she was able to procure a pass, she would have to leave the garden by 7.30 a.m. as tourists would begin coming to the areas. “As we are local residents, who pay taxes, put up with tourist traffic and multiple other issues for the benefit of tourists, they should allow us to access public spaces like parks and gardens free of cost, possibly after they show identification that they are local residents,” said Ms. Rani.
