Long Vehicles Barred on Kodaikanal Roads to Ease Traffic

Large vehicles measuring more than 12 metres in length face a strict ban on routes leading to the popular hill station of Kodaikanal starting December 1, 2026. The Dindigul district administration announced the new rule to prevent heavy traffic jams and keep tourists and local residents safe on mountain roads.

Official Orders

Dindigul District Collector Durgamoorthy signed the official notification under Rule 370 (1) of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Both passenger buses and heavy goods carriers that cross the 12-metre limit are barred from using the hill routes. Operators can still run smaller vehicles that stay under the 12-metre size limit without any restrictions.

Affected Routes

The travel ban covers several major mountain approaches. These include the roads from Batlagundu to Kodaikanal, Ayyampalayam-Dharmathupatti-Thandikudi to Kodaikanal, Sitharevu-Pandrimalai to Kodaikanal, Manalur-Thandikudi via Oddanchatram-Pachalur to Kodaikanal, Palani-Savarikadu via Vadakavunji to Kodaikanal, and the Periyakulam-Kumbakarai section via Adukkam to Kodaikanal.

Police Appeal

In a separate notification, Dindigul Superintendent of Police S. Jeyakumar urged tourists, traders, and the general public to cooperate by switching to smaller passenger and cargo vehicles for travel on these routes.

Context

Popular hill stations across India often face severe traffic jams during peak holiday seasons because narrow mountain roads cannot handle very long vehicles. Strict vehicle length limits help prevent large buses or trucks from getting stuck on sharp hairpin bends and blocking entire mountain roads.