KALPETTA: With Onam round the corner, a pall of gloom has descended over Wayanad’s tourism industry. The recurring mudslides on the vital Thamarassery Ghat road, the primary gateway to the district, has choked off the main pathway for tourist inflow, sparking fears of a washed-out peak season.
The Onam vacation, which begins next week, is traditionally a bustling period for hotels, resorts, homestays, and tour operators in Wayanad, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. Even the flow of tourists from the neighbouring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu during the Ganesh Chathurthy holidays has declined.
The vital Ghat road has been closed for the past three days following a huge mudslide near the ninth hairpin bend, triggered by heavy rains. The situation remains precarious, with authorities reporting fresh slips even on Thursday morning, forcing them to suspend traffic indefinitely.
Vehicles are now being diverted through longer and more difficult routes via Kuttiady and Nadukani, adding hours to travel time and creating a logistical nightmare for tourists and tour operators alike.
“We were anticipating a full house for Onam, with bookings looking very promising after a relatively quiet monsoon,” said Ali Bran from Wayanad, who is also the state general secretary of the All Kerala Tourism Association, which has more than 300 members from the hospitality sector in the Wayanad district.
“Now, we are receiving a flurry of calls from anxious tourists. While some are seeking information on alternative routes, many are contemplating cancellations,” he added.
The tour guides and tourist bus operators also expressed a sense of unease evident across the tourism sector. “The Thamarassery Ghat road is our lifeline. Its closure creates a negative perception about accessibility and safety, which is detrimental to tourism,” said Ramesh Mundakkai, a local tour operator and a victim of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide.
“Even if the road reopens in a day or two, the damage to tourist confidence is already done. Many will be hesitant to travel on a route that has been flagged as dangerous.
One has to travel an extra 30km while taking the Kuttiadi Ghat road compared to the Thamarassery Ghat road to reach Kalpetta and other major tourist spots in Wayanad.
Also, due to the closure of Thamarassery Ghat road, there is a huge traffic congestion on the Kuttiadi road. Therefore, tourists are not preferring that route,” said Subar Elakulam, authorised tourist guide and secretary of Tourist Guides Association Wayanad.