Ooty Protest: Businesses, Taxis Strike Over E-Pass System, Tourists Struggle With High Costs

The protest in Ooty, which was total, mainly affected the tourists as they did not have access to hotel rooms and food as hotels and restaurants remained closed.

According to the system that had come into effect on April 1, the vehicles entering Nilgiris will be limited to 6000 on weekdays and 8000 on weekends.

Source : Pixabay

Commercial establishments downed shutters while autos and tourist taxies kept off roads on Wednesday in protest against the e-pass system implemented in line with a court verdict to keep the movement of vehicles under check. The agitation severely affected tourists who complained of exorbitant pricing of available hotel rooms and food.

The protest, which was total, mainly affected the tourists as they did not have access to hotel rooms and food as hotels and restaurants remained closed.

People queued up at the state-run Amma Canteens, while roadside vendors sprang up at various places to sell food items. Amma Canteens are named after late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and the outlets sell food at subsidised rates.

Moulana from Kerala said food was being sold at exorbitant prices. The hotel which had rented out a room for him till Tuesday at Rs 5000 was now demanding Rs 15,000, he claimed and wanted a mechanism to keep hotel tariff under check.

Rajesh, a local, also pointed to the inflated rates of food and hotel rooms, even as he said that the e-pass system will affect business in the hill district during the peak vacation season.

Sukumaran, secretary of a local tea farmers' association, welcomed the e-pass initiative. It will help in ensuring smooth flow of vehicular traffic and avoid pile-ups, he said.

As part of the protest, shops were closed in Udhagamandalam (Ooty), Kotagiri, Gudalur and Pandalur--all in the Nilgiris district.

The protesting shopowners and tourist vehicle operators wanted the withdrawal of the e-pass system, saying it was affecting their livelihood.

As per the new mandate, those visiting the district in private vehicles need to apply in advance on a government portal and obtain it.

The Madras High Court had earlier mandated the e-pass system for Ooty and Kodaikanal (Dindigul dt) in Tamil Nadu to check the burgeoning vehicle influx to the hill tourist attractions during summer.

According to the system that had come into effect on April 1, the vehicles entering Nilgiris will be limited to 6000 on weekdays and 8000 on weekends.

Medical or other emergencies, government buses, goods vehicles and Nilgiris district vehicles are exempted from the e-pass system. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)