Winter is Here: Ooty welcomes snowfall season; e-pass still mandatory

Ooty, Tamil Nadu: Ooty is ushering in the winter season with chilly mornings and the first signs of snowfall. As November ends, the town enters its annual snowfall season, which will last for the next two months. Many mornings will see Ooty covered in a blanket of snow.

On Sunday morning, snowfall occurred in several low-lying areas of Ooty, including Kandal, Race Course, Botanical Garden, and Thalaikundha. The region experienced a sharp drop in temperature, with the minimum recorded at 5°C. The daytime temperatures will vary, but the nights are expected to remain cold, with temperatures dipping even further during the peak of winter, reaching below zero in early January.

E-pass still mandatory

Meanwhile, the e-pass mandate for travel to Ooty and Kodaikanal has been extended indefinitely, beyond the original deadline of September 30. This rule applies to all vehicles that are not registered in Nilgiris District, meaning tourists driving to these popular hill stations must obtain an e-pass before entering the Nilgiri hills. However, vehicles registered within the district and government buses are exempt from this requirement.

Travellers can apply for an e-pass by visiting the official Tamil Nadu government website at epass.tnega.org. The application requires information such as the number of passengers, vehicle type, fuel type, travel dates, and the purpose of the trip. After submitting the form, an e-pass with a QR code will be generated, which will be scanned at the entry points to Kodaikanal and Ooty. The process is fast, fully automated, and can be completed online within minutes.