e-Registration clause restricts tourist flow into Kodaikanal

Flow of tourists is yet to pick up in Kodaikanal hill station even after a week of pleasure boating resumption after months long shut off due to COVID-19 restrictions. The hill station is yet to see a steady flow of tourists in December, considered as second season.

Many stakeholders relying on the tourism industry expected a flood of tourists in Kodaikanal this December. But, it is contrary to expectations, many, who make their living off tourism feel. Now, all tourism spots in the hill station are open to visitors, but still local tourism is yet to recover from the downturn.

According to T Boopalan, Manager, TTDC Boathouse, Kodaikanal, e-registration, which’s still mandatory for tourists with private vehicles to access this hill station, is a cause for concern among many.

Several tourists are still not aware of the e-registration process, but disappointed when they come up the hill station check post near Silver Cascade falls, where they suffer poor communication network.

Even at times after travelling up to Kodaikanal, tourists are trying to get their vehicles e-registered. But owing to poor network, they could not make it and much to their disappointment, they had no alternative to get down. To better guide them, they could be checked at a check post near Batlagundu on Ghat Road to avoid giving in the circumstances, he told DT Next.

With a fleet of 94 boats, including rowing and pedaling in two boathouses of TTDC, only some tourists from neighbouring Theni, Dindigul and Madurai, turned up on this weekend. More importantly, tourists from Kerala, which contribute about 70 per cent to the second season in Kodaikanal, declined drastically these days owing to factors concerning e-registration and COVID-19 scare.

Moreover, staying guests are also declining these days and most of them are enjoying one-day tour hanging out at interior locations, including Kookal Eco Farm and like. But, they could not make it for boating on time since they return at 5.30 p.m, the closing time of the boathouse. Even when tourists access the boathouse in late afternoon, many of them give up boating as thick fog reduces visibility on the hills, he said.