With elections round the corner, party functionaries are busy meeting local businessmen to gather funds. Meanwhile, a coalition of locals, 'Vote for Ooty' is creating awareness on the major issues that residents of the hill town face.
Terming the Nilgiri public transport system as inadequate, the coalition stated in a public notice that one of the biggest ironies is that while the tourists travel in fleets of luxury buses, the locals are forced to use the rundown government buses. Etienne's Road continues to be a nightmare for residents. Nothing has been done in the last three decades to improve the condition of the road, the notice said. What could be so difficult in relaying a 1km stretch, the campaigners ask.
Dharmalingam Venugopal, coordinator of 'Vote for Ooty' who is also contesting in the upcoming elections, said Ooty's roads were mere tracks till 1850. Only after 1870, when Ooty became the summer headquarters of the Madras Presidency, the roads were given some importance, he added.
The public transport system in Nilgiris had been 'nationalised' in 1974. It was part of a grandiose scheme of the then government to improve connectivity across the state. Since then the scheme has been diluted by successive governments. While most parts of the state have the benefit of competitive service by both state and private transport operators, the status quo remains the same in the Nilgiris, despite several appeals made by locals to civic authorities to improve the condition of the roads and public transport.
According to Venugopal, the locals not only have to deal with shortage of buses which are inadequately maintained, they also have to shell out more in fares. "Continued monopoly of public transport by the state government in the Nilgiris even after it has grown into an important commercial centre for tea, tourism and education is an anachronism which persists for no reasons," he said.
The 'Vote for Ooty' campaign stresses that only if there are competing transport services operating in the region, there could be a permenant solution to the maintenance and management of traffic in the two primary roads of Ooty.
Venugopal, Founder and Director, Nilgiri Documentation Centre, will be contesting in the coming assembly election in Ooty constituency.
Terming the Nilgiri public transport system as inadequate, the coalition stated in a public notice that one of the biggest ironies is that while the tourists travel in fleets of luxury buses, the locals are forced to use the rundown government buses. Etienne's Road continues to be a nightmare for residents. Nothing has been done in the last three decades to improve the condition of the road, the notice said. What could be so difficult in relaying a 1km stretch, the campaigners ask.
Dharmalingam Venugopal, coordinator of 'Vote for Ooty' who is also contesting in the upcoming elections, said Ooty's roads were mere tracks till 1850. Only after 1870, when Ooty became the summer headquarters of the Madras Presidency, the roads were given some importance, he added.
The public transport system in Nilgiris had been 'nationalised' in 1974. It was part of a grandiose scheme of the then government to improve connectivity across the state. Since then the scheme has been diluted by successive governments. While most parts of the state have the benefit of competitive service by both state and private transport operators, the status quo remains the same in the Nilgiris, despite several appeals made by locals to civic authorities to improve the condition of the roads and public transport.
According to Venugopal, the locals not only have to deal with shortage of buses which are inadequately maintained, they also have to shell out more in fares. "Continued monopoly of public transport by the state government in the Nilgiris even after it has grown into an important commercial centre for tea, tourism and education is an anachronism which persists for no reasons," he said.
The 'Vote for Ooty' campaign stresses that only if there are competing transport services operating in the region, there could be a permenant solution to the maintenance and management of traffic in the two primary roads of Ooty.
Venugopal, Founder and Director, Nilgiri Documentation Centre, will be contesting in the coming assembly election in Ooty constituency.