Checking of Aadhaar cards of Kodaikanal-bound passengers creates confusion

Passengers bound for Kodaikanal are confused whether Aadhaar card has been made mandatory for travel.

Sources said Aadhaar cards are required for residents of Kodaikanal to travel and it’s aimed at keeping a check on whether any tourist is boarding Kodaikanal-bound buses. Ahead of boarding buses, Aadhaar cards of passengers are checked by conductors to ensure tourists are not travelling to the hill town, sources said.

However, Radhakrishnan, Branch Manager, TNSTC, Kodaikanal, denied any such rule of Aadhaar card required for those travelling to Kodaikanal. There’s no such instruction from the state government that Aadhaar cards are mandatory to visit the hill station. But, standing operating procedures of COVID preventive measures are being followed in toto as buses are allowed to ply with 50 per cent occupancy with hands sanitized before the journey. More importantly, passengers with face masks are only allowed to board buses.

Municipal authorities and Health staff are also monitoring the situation at Silver Cascade toll gate in the tourist town. Further, he said all buses traveling for two or three hours have been disinfected.

On Day 1 of services resumption, passenger turnout is normal and it may go up in coming days, the Branch Manager said. On a daily average, around 40 buses ply to Kodaikanal, he said. On the other hand, stakeholders relying on the tourism industry there are looking forward to early reopening of tourism hotspots, sources said.