Planning To Go To Ooty & Kodaikanal? Now, E-Pass Mandatory

Planning a trip to Ooty and Kodaikanal? You'll need an e-pass which will facilitate the district administrations in gathering data regarding the influx of vehicles, the variety of vehicles present, as well as the volume of tourists visiting these hill stations during the summer months.

Starting from May 7 to June 30, tourists visiting Ooty and Kodaikanal must obtain an e-pass, a special Division Bench comprising Justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy passed an order on Monday.

However, the Special Division Bench stated that there will be no limit on the issuance of e-passes by the Nilgiris and Dindigul Collectorates. Notably, residents are exempt from acquiring these passes.

The Collectors have been instructed to extensively publicize the e-pass system. In addition to it,the judges also proposed that the two Collectors, with support from the Information Technology Department, explore integrating a payment gateway into the e-pass system. This would enable applicants to pay toll charges online, reducing congestion near checkpoints, conserving fuel, and curbing carbon emissions.

Earlier, the Nilgiris and Dindigul collectors proposed restricting vehicle movement in response to the High Court's contemplation of curbing tourist numbers. During peak seasons, the influx of vehicles skyrockets from 2,000 to a staggering 20,000 per day, causing congestion and environmental damage.

Acknowledging the issue, the Special Division Bench of Justices deliberated on the matter. Advocates highlighted the strain on ghat roads and environmental degradation caused by excessive tourist activity during summer.

Nilgiris Collector M Aruna said the district's vulnerability, bordered by Kerala and Karnataka. She had noted the presence of nine border check posts and the substantial increase in vehicle traffic during tourist peaks. Notably, the reported vehicle count includes essential goods transport, not solely tourist vehicles.