Ooty: The onset of the highly anticipated second tourist season in Ooty has brought massive traffic snarls, with the Gudalur-Ooty national highway witnessing severe gridlock over the weekend. A massive influx of holidaymakers looking to escape to the Nilgiris has left several key arterial roads choked.

Kallatti Ghat restrictions worsen highway congestion
The traffic situation on the primary Ooty-Gudalur route has intensified primarily due to strict vehicle limits imposed on the Kallatti Ghat road. Following a Chennai High Court directive, the forest department has set up a checkpost at Mavanahalla to monitor and restrict entry. Currently, only 200 tourist vehicles are permitted to pass through the steep Kallatti Ghat daily, forcing the bulk of the tourist traffic to divert to the Gudalur-Ooty national highway.

Popular sightseeing spots overwhelmed
While the central town of Ooty remained relatively manageable, outer tourist hotspots were packed to capacity. The famous Shooting Point along the Ooty road saw thousands of visitors, resulting in bumper-to-bumper traffic and long queues of stationary vehicles.

Second season sees strong bookings despite milder winter
Hotel and resort operators in the Nilgiris report a major surge in bookings as the second tourism season officially commences. Interestingly, the region is experiencing a slightly warmer winter than usual due to a lack of recent rainfall. However, this has done little to deter travel enthusiasts, with accommodation bookings peaking rapidly for the upcoming weeks.