Traders in Udhagamandalam town have been asked to avoid parking their vehicles in commercial areas in the town, to give way to tourists during the peak tourism season, which is all set to begin and continue till mid June.
“State of affairs and tourist-friendly measures experienced in Udhagamandalam will be seen as a reflection of the entire State for the visiting tourists from the rest of the country and from other countries. Residents are bound to provide congestion-free roads and parking space. Hence this initiative,” says Murali Rambha, Superintendent of Police (SP) of The Nilgiris.
While pamphlets asking traders not to occupy the roads for parking their vehicles were distributed to them on Thursday, the SP said that traders were already informed orally at a meeting in early March. He observed that most of the traders used their vehicles to travel less than a kilometre to reach their shops and parked them there throughout the day.
“This forced tourists to go in search of parking places and undergo hardships due to inadequate parking space. This also affects traders as tourists are not able to park their vehicles and shop,” the SP added.
He said that such problems were encountered during weekends and it went up manifold during summer.
As part of the initiatives to keep vehicles away from the narrow roads, the police are also removing (towing) or locking vehicles that are abandoned on the road for more than an hour.
“A fine is imposed on the owner,” Mr. Murali Rambha said and added that this was under way in Udhagamandalam, Coonoor and Kotagiri town over the last three days.
Treasurer of the Udhagai Nagara Vyabarigal Sangam, and councillor for the market area, N. Raja Mohamed said that there were 1,388 shops in the market area and around 600 shops in the rest of the town.
“State of affairs and tourist-friendly measures experienced in Udhagamandalam will be seen as a reflection of the entire State for the visiting tourists from the rest of the country and from other countries. Residents are bound to provide congestion-free roads and parking space. Hence this initiative,” says Murali Rambha, Superintendent of Police (SP) of The Nilgiris.
While pamphlets asking traders not to occupy the roads for parking their vehicles were distributed to them on Thursday, the SP said that traders were already informed orally at a meeting in early March. He observed that most of the traders used their vehicles to travel less than a kilometre to reach their shops and parked them there throughout the day.
“This forced tourists to go in search of parking places and undergo hardships due to inadequate parking space. This also affects traders as tourists are not able to park their vehicles and shop,” the SP added.
He said that such problems were encountered during weekends and it went up manifold during summer.
As part of the initiatives to keep vehicles away from the narrow roads, the police are also removing (towing) or locking vehicles that are abandoned on the road for more than an hour.
“A fine is imposed on the owner,” Mr. Murali Rambha said and added that this was under way in Udhagamandalam, Coonoor and Kotagiri town over the last three days.
Treasurer of the Udhagai Nagara Vyabarigal Sangam, and councillor for the market area, N. Raja Mohamed said that there were 1,388 shops in the market area and around 600 shops in the rest of the town.