Dindigul, Oct 17:
Ā The Tamil Nadu Forest Department has introduced an online ticketing facility for popular tourist attractions in Kodaikanal to reduce traffic congestion, particularly during the Dussehra holidays.
Tourists can pay entry fees in advance through the official website, [https://
The facility covers Pillar Rocks, Guna Caves, Pine Forest and Moir Point, which are under the Forest Departmentās control. These locations attract large numbers of visitors, especially during holidays, and delays in collecting entry fees have frequently led to traffic congestion on approach roads.
Earlier, authorities collected entry fees separately at each location before introducing a centralised manual ticketing system. QR-code payments were subsequently introduced, but poor mobile connectivity in the hilly terrain and long queues continued to cause delays. Installing QR-code kiosks at more than 10 locations also failed to fully resolve congestion during peak hours.
The district administration, police and Forest Department worked together to develop the advance online booking system. Officials said the initiative is expected to reduce waiting times at entry points and help ensure smoother movement of vehicles towards the tourist attractions.