Residents fume as traffic goes awry in Ooty

Ooty: Haphazard parking and parking in "no parking" zones are irking commuters and pedestrians alike here in this hill town with traffic management beginning to go awry ahead of the summer tourist season which is just three weeks away.

Though the police administration here showed keen interest in traffic management in this hill town after some initial hiccups after last year's summer season when there was change of guard in the district police administration here, they are now lethargic. Haphazard parking and parking in the designated "no parking" zones in the town are reflective of this.

Often, the footpaths along Coonoor road, Missionary Hill road and Stone House road have become parking lots, though police banned parking there and even erected "No Parking" signs on these roads.  Stating that with a computerized traffic control room in place in the Charing Cross area, traffic managers in the town are struggling to regulate traffic now-a-days, Mr. G. Janardhanan, president of the Ooty Town Public Awareness Association, charged that foot paths in the town have become a free-for-all parking.  The situation is worst along Adam's Fountain, he pointed out.

Pleading that the district police administration should crack its whip to wake up traffic police from their deep slumber, Mr.Janardhanan wanted the higher officials to make it a habit of holding surprise inspections in various areas in the towns to ensure that traffic managers are always alert and duty conscious.