IDUKKI: The serpentine queue of vehicles lacing the narrow roads of the hill station of Munnar has become a familiar scenario during peak tourism season.
To tackle the issue, taking cues from neighbouring Kanthalloor’s model of tourism — which won the Union government’s Gold award for best rural tourism project in 2023 — the Munnar panchayat has decided to introduce a green entry fee system in the hill station.
As part of the long-term plan to manage mounting traffic congestion and waste issues, the panchayat has also decided to introduce jeep shuttle service.
The decision was taken at the panchayat committee meeting held on Wednesday. Panchayat president S Vijayakumar said green check posts will be set up at three major entry points — Chatta Munnar, Old Munnar and the toll gate area on the Munnar-Devikulam route — to regulate vehicle entry and eventually collect a fee from tourists entering the town.
“Further decisions, including the fee amount, will be taken after discussions with the concerned departments,” Vijayakumar said.
The panchayat is also planning to reduce the entry of heavy tourist vehicles into the town by introducing a decentralised transport system. Under the proposal, tourists arriving in large buses will be dropped at designated points and shifted to smaller vehicles such as jeeps to visit major destinations, including Meesapulimala.
The system was recently tested with tourists arriving through the KSRTC Budget Tourism package, who were transported by jeep from the old Munnar depot to Rhodo Mansion near Meesapulimala.
Officials estimate that around 1,500 to 2,500 vehicles arrive daily, with the number rising to nearly 5,000 during holidays and vacation periods. Vijayakumar said the increasing number of heavy vehicles moving through the ghat roads often leads to long traffic blocks, affecting both residents and tourists.
“Switching to smaller vehicles will help ease congestion, especially in ecologically fragile zones,” he said. Apart from traffic management, the panchayat also plans to address the growing issue of waste dumping by tourists. Visitors will be provided bags at the check posts to collect waste, which can later be handed over at the return points after segregation.
The long-term traffic management plan is being prepared in coordination with the tourism department following Kerala High Court directions to study vehicle flow in Munnar during peak seasons. The panchayat is also considering measures such as fixed jeep taxi rates, awareness classes for drivers, a multi-level parking system and a one-way traffic arrangement within the town.
A new bridge proposed near the Headworks Dam is also expected to help divert traffic from the Mattupetty side and ease congestion in the town centre.