OOTY: Shops and commercial establishments remained shut on Wednesday opposing the e-pass system introduced to restrict tourist vehicles to the Nilgiris district.
Autorickshaws and cabs stayed off roads in response to the bandh call given by merchant associations. Arterial stretches in Ooty wore a deserted look. Tourists who visited Ooty on Wednesday were hit. Since hotels and restaurants were shut, they were left to struggle for food.
Traders demanded that the govt drop the e-pass the system as the restrictions would bring down the number of tourists, which in turn would affect their livelihood.
The traders said that the e-pass system introduced last year had resulted in a loss of business to people dependent on the tourism sector. This year the loss could increase as many would be discouraged by the e-pass system, traders said.
The e-pass system for the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal came into force on Tuesday in the wake of a Madras high court order. The court capped the number of tourist vehicles entering the Nilgiris at 6,000 on weekdays and 8,000 on weekends. As the system kicked in, officials intercepted the vehicles at checkposts and allowed them to proceed only after they obtained e-passes.
Though none of the vehicles were turned down on Tuesday or Wednesday, traders said the number of tourist flow could increase in the coming days. If the e-pass was removed then all the vehicles could visit Ooty, traders said.
The traders pressed for a charter of 13 other demands including relaxation of the plastic bottle ban in the Nilgiris and ban on cab aggregators in Ooty.
