Kodaikanal shopkeepers protest multi-level parking project

More than 100 shopkeepers in Kodaikanal have launched a one-day strike by closing their businesses to protest a proposed multi-level car parking project. The municipality plans to construct the facility on approximately 2.5 acres in the Kalaiyurangam area to alleviate traffic congestion caused by the increasing number of tourists.

Local traders argue that the project will destroy their livelihoods. They are demanding that the municipal administration provide alternative arrangements for the businesses currently operating in the area before any land acquisition or demolition takes place. While e-pass systems were implemented following High Court orders to manage traffic, congestion remains a significant issue during holiday periods.