Title - Season in Ooty concludes, but tourists inflow continues

With schools having re-opened and the South West Monsoon expected to set in soon, the season in this hill station has ended though arrangements are afoot to bring the curtains down on an official note on Sunday with a valedictory function.However, the flow of tourists continues to be unusually good and there is no let up in the demand for space in parking lots including those created especially for the summer.Observers opine that this was in tune with the beginning and various stages of the season which was distinctly different from the earlier editions. In keeping with a long-standing practice, an assessment of the summer of 2012 has already commenced in various circles.Many people said that the need of the hour was a stock taking exercise. It would provide an opportunity to the authorities concerned to gloat over achievements and at the same time ponder over shortcomings.Unlike the seasons of recent years, the heavy influx was not confined only to the weekends this year. Consequently, many inadequacies on the infrastructure front particularly with regard to parking facilities were exposed almost daily.The sweltering heat in the plains drove all classes of tourists to the hills. Though a commendable job was done by the police in keeping the thousands of vehicles in motion, the time consumed in reaching various scenic spots threw out of gear the sight-seeing plans of many visitors.

While one can derive satisfaction from the fact that it was by and large an accident-free season, it also underscored the need to put an end to the overdependence on ad-hoc measures to deal with traffic problems. A proper traffic management plan should be put in place with the help of competent persons.

Development of infrastructure to match the considerable increase in the number of tourist vehicles and those owned by the residents can no longer be delayed.

This season also, pedestrians found themselves in an unenviable position. As footpaths were either in an appalling state or encroached on by the roadside shops and pavement hawkers, pedestrians were forced to walk on the road.

The weather, which was show friendly, remained so even during the events which followed. However, the Rose Show held a fortnight earlier at the Government Rose Garden was not so fortunate. A downpour played havoc.

The dance, drama and music programmes, which formed part of the annual Summer Festival that had undergone several changes over the years, also wore a different look with the number of days being extended. Whether or not it went down well with the visitors and the residents is a matter of conjecture.

The Vintage Car Rally, a popular annual event, was conspicuous by its absence this year. The annual Dog Show of the South of India Kennel Club lived up to its reputation. The Regatta and the Boat Pageant organised by the Department of Tourism added colour and gaiety.

The participation of a number of districts added value to the Annual Vegetable Show in Kotagiri and the Annual Fruit Show in Coonoor. While the renowned Nilgiri Mountain Railway provided complaint- free services during the summer, the National Highways Authority of India was criticised for not maintaining properly, during the better part of the season, its road which cut through the Nilgiris.

Barring distribution problems in some areas, water supply was satisfactory throughout the season here. The circuit buses run by the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation were of considerable help to the tourists.

While the stray animals menace defied a solution even this summer, the administration did well in reducing the beggar nuisance. But the one thing that the administration could not stop was the tourists littering the town, especially scenic spots such as Garden, with used disposable plates, cups and even banana leaves. They had literally made various places in the town mere garbage dumps.