Summer festival season chokes Doddabetta Peak, conservationists call for curbs
The summer festival season has led to severe traffic congestion on the roads leading to Doddabetta Peak, disrupting local residents and tourists alike. Conservationists warn that the heavy vehicle influx is harming the ecologically sensitive area and stressing wildlife, including tigers and elephants. Despite a short-lived attempt to introduce shuttle buses, opposition from the Eco-Development Committee halted the initiative, prompting renewed calls for traffic restrictions.
- ▪Between 300-500 vehicles are often stuck on the road from Doddabetta Peak to Doddabetta Junction during peak season.
- ▪Locals avoid the route during summer festivals except for emergencies, such as accessing the Government Medical College and Hospital.
- ▪Tourists reported being stuck in traffic for over three hours, unable to turn around due to congestion on both sides of the road.
- ▪The Wildlife and Nature Conservation Trust highlighted increased air pollution and stress on wildlife due to prolonged vehicle queues.
- ▪An attempt to introduce shuttle buses from Doddabetta Junction was stopped after the Eco-Development Committee objected due to loss of vehicle entry revenue.
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The summer festival season has choked the roads to Doddabetta Peak once again, causing huge traffic snarls that are affecting the everyday lives of local residents, as well as inconveniencing tourists.Based on some estimates, the huge influx of tourists to one of the most visited tourist hotspots in the district leads to anywhere between 300-500 vehicles becoming stuck along the road between the Doddabetta Peak to the Doddabetta Junction at any time, with an equally large number of vehicles also waiting to enter the reserved forest for a further kilometer till the Tea Factory in Mel Kodappamund.S. Chandran, a Kotagiri resident, said that locals usually do not visit Udhagamandalam town during the summer festival season due to the huge crowds and traffic snarls at Doddabetta.
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