DINDIGUL: In view of traffic snarls caused by the frequent movement of tourist vehicles, farmers and residents have sought alternative routes to reach Kodaikanal as it takes over two hours to reach the city.
MP Meenakshi Sundaram, a farmer, told TNIE, “Kodaikanal is among the most popular holiday destinations being a hill station and given its cool weather here. While it attracts a huge number of tourists from Dindigul, Madurai, Tiruppur, Karur and other places, this has created the issue of frequent traffic snarls.
The congestion is heavy from Perumalmalai to Kodaikanal covering a distance of nearly 6.9 km, particularly during weekends and tourist seasons. It takes over 2 hours to reach Kodaikanal to cover the short distance. For farmers and local residents, the entire day is ruined as cars and buses are parked along the state highway throughout the hills.”
P Sathish, another farmer, said, “The traditional route to Kodaikanal from Perumalmalai is good, and the drive usually takes just 15 minutes. However, when tourists arrive, it becomes a nightmare and the issue worsens during the rains.
While there is an alternative route from Perumalmalai, through Kovilpatti and Pothuparai, it is badly damaged. This 8-km route could be an alternative to reach Kodaikanal if the state highway department repairs the stretch.”
Kodaikanal Municipality Chairman P Chelladurai told TNIE, “The distance between Adivaram and Kodaikanal town is 45 km and it takes 1.5 hours for travel by car or bus. During holidays and festive seasons, heavy traffic causes discomfort. Therefore, we have proposed to create an alternative route through Kovilpatti and Pothuparai.”
An official from the state highway department said, “A team of officials from the state highway department conducted an inspection of the roads and other connecting roads to Kodaikanal recently. It has prepared a report on the connecting roads and will be submitting the proposal to the higher officials in Chennai.”
