Free entry for tourists at Kodaikanal forest sites till May 31

The Dindigul district administration has announced free entry to major Kodaikanal attractions until May 31, aiming to ease congestion caused by a surge in summer tourists.

In a major relief for travellers heading to the popular hill station of Kodaikanal, the Dindigul district administration on Monday announced free entry for tourists to all prominent attractions under the control of the Forest Department until May 31.

Announcing the waiver, Dindigul District Collector S Saravanan said that the temporary free-access directive will apply to major ecological and tourist hotspots, including Pillar Rock, Guna Caves, the Pine Forest, and Moir Point.

According to official sources, a massive surge in summer tourist footfall coupled with the newly implemented QR-code digital ticketing system had triggered endless bottlenecks on the single-lane routes leading up to these destinations.

Following public dissatisfaction and a directive from the state government to streamline vehicular movement, the district administration decided to suspend the collection and verification of all entry fees for the remainder of the month.

The administration expects this intervention to dramatically reduce waiting times at forest checkpoints and ensure smooth traffic flow across the hill station.

The announcement has been widely welcomed by tourists, local tour operators, and vehicle drivers who had been struggling with hours of traffic delays during their transit.