Ooty residents blame officials for inefficient traffic handling

Udhagamandalam: Ooty residents always dread the tourist season – not because they don’t like outsiders exploring the hill retreat, but because it’s the time of the year all roads in the town witness chaotic traffic. The situation wasn’t different on Saturday either. Even government vehicles and those of politicians were parked on ‘no parking’ area on Commercial Road. A private water tanker, which is not allowed on the stretch between 8am and 8pm, was seen dispensing water at a leading chain of restaurants and confectioners on the road.
Locals blamed the town police for their failure to handle the situation efficiently. “The scene on Commercial Road was so chaotic on Saturday. If police hadn’t turned a blind eye, the water tanker wouldn’t have entered the road during peak hours. There is no traffic regulation happening in the town,” said L Murugan, a local resident.

Natarajan, another local resident, said unregulated traffic was a common sight in the hill town on summer days. “Most often, traffic snarls are created in the very name of regulating the traffic. For instance, Commercial Road, which could easily take two-way movement of vehicles, is made one-way on and off to facilitate particular commercial establishments. This only causes traffic congestion .”

Geetha Srinivasan, a social activist,urged the district administration and police not to allow tourist vehicles to be parked in a way causing traffic snarls. “If police make certain roads one-way, they should remain so throughout the year.”

When contacted, Thangavel, Ooty Town DSP, said, “We have convened a meeting with the local stakeholders in connection with traffic regulation in the town. We will see that traffic is regulated smoothly.”