Traders in the Nilgiris district have launched a shutdown protest against the implementation of the e-pass system for vehicles.Following a High Court order, the district administration enforced the e-pass system from April 1, limiting the number of passes issued for vehicles entering the Nilgiris. This restriction has angered traders and tourism operators, who rely heavily on tourism for their livelihood.
To oppose this rule, traders have shut down their shops and begun a protest on April 2, demanding the withdrawal of e-pass restrictions. The protest includes 13 key demands from business owners and tourism-related workers.
The shutdown protest has spread across Ooty, Coonoor, Gudalur, Kunda, Kotagiri, and Pandalur taluks. The strike began at 6 AM today (April 2) and will continue until 6 AM tomorrow (April 3).
Due to the protest, all shops in the region remain closed, except for milk and medical stores, which are functioning as usual.