Tamil Nadu election 2026: Udhagamandalam constituency faces challenges in tourism and tea sectors

With The Nilgiris district, especially Udhagamandalam gearing up for the summer tourist season – a two month window where tourism into the district hits its yearly peak, R. Madhav Sharma, a tourist visiting from Bengaluru says he’s appalled at the lack of infrastructure for tourists in the district. “The town has inadequate car parking, no restroom facilities, rampant pollution and waste and price gouging. This is the first time I have visited Ooty, and will probably be our family’s last visit,” he said.

Many tourists like Mr. Sharma have begun to think twice about visiting the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’ over the last few years, citing urbanisation, increasing pollution, poor planning and lack of amenities for tourists.