Munnar's repeated tourists-locals conflicts: What fuels them

With its cool climate, tea-estate landscapes and picture-perfect high-range ambience, Kerala's Munnar has long been luring local, non-Malayali and international tourists alike to its breathtaking vistas. Its tranquil embrace is what all visitors want to feel refreshed and get back to the regular daily grind. But now, things aren't that smooth. For quite a while, various incidents involving clashes between tourists, local residents, taxi drivers and sellers have been making headlines, on and off. The 'Kashmir of the South' has been witnessing growing tensions on various fronts involving visitors. 

While some incidents are verified reports, a few others have also been partially inaccurate and exaggerated, according to authorities. Similar incidents are being reported from other parts of the Idukki district, too, where Munnar is located. A few months ago, in October last year, hotel management students from Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu were allegedly attacked with stones by a group of residents at Pallivasal. Three youths were arrested in connection with the incident. The very next day, tourists from Kollam reportedly came under attack by a group, including women, at Top Station near Munnar. A family from Thrikkakara in Ernakulam was also allegedly assaulted by a group in Old Munnar near the town. The injured were admitted to Tata Tea Hospital, and police investigations are ongoing. Most recently, a tourist group from Varkala was allegedly attacked by tourism workers on the Munnar-Vattavada route for allegedly stopping at the roadside. 

Tourism stakeholders warn that such recurring conflicts, whether major or minor, could undermine the vast tourism potential of Munnar and Idukki. It's also a concern for those for whom tourism is their primary livelihood. However, what are the reasons triggering these tussles and arguments? Onmanorama examines. 

The root cause
According to many tourism stakeholders, the primary reason behind most disputes is severe traffic congestion in Munnar, along with inadequate parking spaces. As tourist inflow continues to increase, visitors often struggle to find parking spaces and end up leaving vehicles wherever space is available. This frequently leads to objections from local residents and shopkeepers, triggering verbal disputes that sometimes escalate into physical confrontations. 

G Sojan, Coordinator of the My Munnar Movement, says Munnar’s roads are receiving far more vehicles than they can accommodate. "The lack of strong decisions at both political and administrative levels to handle the issue is the main reason for this problem. Police and other departments should adopt stricter enforcement measures," he says. 

To ease congestion, Vinod Vattekkat, a Managing Committee Member of the Kerala Travel Mart, suggests developing new parking spaces, including areas along the riverside stretch from the CSI Church to Tata Tea’s regional office, as well as land adjacent to the KSRTC depot. "Authorities should also replace large tourist buses with government-operated shuttle services to major tourist attractions, to ease traffic," he says.  As per reports, authorities are also planning a multi-level parking system in Munnar town soon. 

Online taxis - local drivers conflict
In November last year, a Mumbai-based tourist was threatened in Munnar for hailing an Uber taxi. Six people were also booked in the case. Similarly, when the Munnar Royal View double-decker tourist bus was launched in early 2025, local taxi drivers voiced their opposition. 

According to Johnson M of the Munnar Travels Association, local drivers have lost a substantial portion of their business and are no longer receiving return-trip bookings from tourists. "Every alternative arrangement - rented bicycles, app-based taxis, double-decker buses, and more keep eating into our income from time to time, and that worries the driver community here," he says. Many drivers, he added, are being forced to leave the profession altogether of late, for this reason. 

Tourism and waste management
The Munnar Panchayat apparently spends crores of rupees annually on waste management. According to reports, Munnar generates around 10 tonnes of waste daily during peak tourism seasons. Munnar Panchayat President S Vijayakumar says, "Much of the waste here is generated by tourism-related activities. The panchayat is planning to impose a surcharge on tourist vehicles to fund waste management and curb traffic. We are thinking of setting up green check-posts that provide visitors with a bag upon paying a deposit, which they can reclaim by returning it filled with the waste they have generated. The surcharge is expected to be implemented by August this year." 

New traffic management measures are also expected to be finalised at a meeting scheduled for June 11, following which coordinated action will be taken with neighbouring local bodies, he says. 

Lack of police presence
Absence of consistent police presence at locations such as Top Station often worsens situations, many say. Dileep Pottankulam, President of the Munnar Hotel and Resort Association, says, "For instance, police intervention was not immediately available during the recent Top Station incident due to jurisdictional confusion. It should be strengthened across Munnar and nearby tourist destinations to avoid the altercations."

Vinod Vattekkat suggests establishing a dedicated Tourism Police Station in Munnar to exclusively handle issues arising in the region and surrounding tourist zones. He says, "Tourism areas should be designated as a special zone under a unified policing system. The restoration of the former police camp office in Munnar town can also help."

Tourists ignoring local markets; illegal vendor mess
Many point out that a significant number of tourists bypass Munnar’s local market altogether, creating an economic disconnect between local residents and tourists. Munnar Panchayat President Vijayakumar says, “There is a perception among residents that tourists create traffic congestion and waste management burdens but contribute little to them or the local economy." 

Meanwhile, disputes between illegal roadside vendors and tourists over pricing also contribute to many conflicts, says Dileep. Vinod adds that projects such as a food street in Munnar town could help revitalise the local market and encourage tourists to spend more time and money within the town.

Lack of mutual respect
Rinson Madavan, Secretary of the Munnar Unit of the Merchants’ Coordination Committee, says certain tourist behaviours contribute to tensions. "Some tourists park their vehicles directly in front of shops, arrive in large buses, play loud music, and dance on the roadside, causing inconvenience to local residents and businesses," he observes. He also alleges that drug-related activities, including the sale and use of narcotics, are prevalent in areas such as Top Station. "Tourists should behave respectfully toward local residents, who, in turn, should treat visitors with courtesy," says Dileep Pottankulam. 

Tourist arrivals have not declined
Jithesh Jose, Secretary of the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), claims that reports of conflicts between tourists and locals have not affected tourist arrivals in the district. He notes that visitor numbers remain stable at major attractions, including botanical gardens and other popular destinations. "In April this year, the tourist spots around Munnar had around 3.5 lakh visitors, and in May, it doubled to become almost 6.5 lakh," he says. While acknowledging isolated incidents, he says discussions have already been held at the ministerial level and that measures will be implemented to address the issues.

Meanwhile, G Sojan expresses concern over the increasing circulation of videos showing attacks on tourists. “Tourism is the backbone of Munnar’s economy. The frequent reports of violence against tourists are worrying. With such videos spreading rapidly on social media, negative campaigns against Munnar are gaining momentum,” he says. 

Police outposts planned for Munnar and Top Station
Munnar DySP S Chandrakumar says efforts are underway to strengthen policing in areas where recurring problems involving tourists have been reported. He says, "Discussions had been held with the Superintendent of Police of Theni district in Tamil Nadu regarding the establishment of a police outpost under the Kurangani Police Station at Top Station. Such a facility would allow police personnel to be permanently stationed in the area.

Parts of Top Station fall under the jurisdiction of Tamil Nadu Police, making immediate intervention difficult during emergencies." Chandrakumar also confirms that the police control room previously operating in Munnar town would soon be reinstated. According to him, establishing a dedicated Tourism Police Station would require a policy-level decision by the government. Authorities are also exploring additional public spaces for parking facilities. The DySP assures that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in attacks on tourists in Munnar.