CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has filed a petition in the Madras High Court on Thursday seeking a review of its order limiting the number of tourist vehicles entering the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal.
The restrictions, imposed without expert opinion and accurate data, would affect the local economy and cause financial hardship to residents who depend on tourism, the petition said.
The plea, filed by Nilgiris Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, will come up for hearing before Justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy on Friday (April 4) as the bench has agreed to hear the matter after it was mentioned before it on Thursday.
The state’s move follows widespread protests, including a 24-hour bandh on Wednesday called by traders against the epass system, in the Nilgiris. In an order on March 13, the court capped the number of tourist vehicles that could enter Nilgiris at 6,000 per day on weekdays and 8,000 per day on weekends.
Similarly, 4,000 vehicles per day on weekdays and 6,000 on weekends shall be allowed entry into Kodaikanal in Dindigul district through an epass system, the HC had said. “Imposition of constraints on the vehicle capacity in the absence of expert opinion and clear data has the potential to disrupt the local economy and livelihood of residents in these hill stations dependent on the revenue generated from tourists,” stated the petition.
Locals may face financial hardship due to e-pass in Nilgiris: TN govt
The cap was set after an expert committee, assessing the carrying capacity, sought nine months to complete its study and submit a report.
The petition argued that the restrictions could cause financial hardships for locals who rely heavily on tourism and allied industries, potentially leading to severe losses. It also highlighted the court’s failure to specify which types of vehicles should be permitted within the fixed cap.
While acknowledging the need to protect the eco-sensitive hill stations, the petition stressed that environmental preservation must be balanced with economic and developmental concerns. It further pointed out that Ooty and Kodaikanal have multiple inter-state and intra-state entry points, and the lack of clear demarcation of vehicles entering through each has created challenges for both travellers and residents.
Additionally, the petition stated that two-wheelers should have been exempted from the e-pass requirement, as their inclusion imposes unnecessary restrictions on local mobility.