Madurai: In response to a protest by tourist vehicle drivers against a new ticketing system that caused massive traffic congestion, the forest department announced free entry for the weekend at its controlled tourist spots in Kodaikanal. The drivers staged a sit-in near the forest department office on Saturday, demanding a return to the earlier system. The protest lasted nearly five hours and led to traffic piling up for around 10 kilometers.
Protest and Resolution
District administration and forest officials held talks with the protesters and assured them that their demands would be considered. Following the assurance, the protest was withdrawn. In the wake of the agitation, authorities allowed free entry on Saturday and Sunday to forest department-controlled tourist destinations, including Thoon Parai, Guna Caves, Pine Forest, and Moyer Sathukkam.
New Measures for Tourist Entry
Officials also announced measures to streamline tourist entry from Monday. Tourists will be able to obtain entry passes through QR codes at five locations: Bryant Park, Coaker's Walk, the bus stand, Silver Cascade, and Kodai Lake. District collector S Saravanan said the e-pass system for travel to and from Kodaikanal was already in place and that efforts were under way to integrate online payment facilities for tourist spot entry fees. "The online payment system is being introduced for the convenience of tourists visiting Kodaikanal," he added.
