Ooty Bypass Nears Completion: Aims to Ease Tourist Traffic Congestion by Second Season!
The construction of the Ooty bypass is 80 percent complete, with plans to allow vehicle access by the second tourist season of the year.
Ooty experiences peak tourist seasons in April, May, September, and October, attracting thousands of visitors from various regions and countries. On weekends, 10,000 to 15,000 vehicles flood the mountain area daily, causing significant traffic congestion in Ooty city. This heavy traffic often forces tourists to cut their visits short or miss popular attractions.
Visitors from Kerala and Karnataka, who typically plan three-day trips, are particularly affected, often spending most of their time stuck in traffic. The problem is exacerbated during the rainy season in the Thalikundha area, where tourists must park on Golf Club Road and take a government-run shuttle bus, causing inconvenience, especially for elderly and ill travelers.
To address this issue, the state highway department has initiated a new plan. A bypass road, costing 40 crore rupees and spanning 20.5 kilometers, is being constructed. This route allows vehicles from Mettupalayam to reach Ooty directly, bypassing Coonoor. The new road passes through Kateri, Selas, Kendhala, Ketti Balada, Kolli Malai, and Gandhipet.
Assistant Engineer Balachandran stated, "The new bypass aims to resolve traffic congestion on the Coonoor-Ooty road. It is 80 percent complete and will soon divert vehicles from Kateri, allowing quicker access to Ooty."
The completion of this bypass is expected to significantly reduce traffic jams and improve travel times for tourists.
