<p>The residents of Devasthooru village have urged the district administration and the police to take action against jeep drivers fleecing tourists who visit Mandalpatti.<br /><br />The jeep drivers’ menace has gone out of control and the authorities should initiate strict action against them, they have demanded.<br /><br />A scuffle broke out between jeep drivers and villagers at Mandalpatti bridge on Saturday when the villagers were staging a protest demanding restriction on the movement of jeeps. The jeep drivers, who visited the spot, entered into a scuffle with the protesting villagers. However, the police intervened and brought the situation under control.<br /><br />Mandalpatti is 22 km away from Madikeri. The road leading to Mandalpatti is narrow. Though vehicles travel up to Mandalpatti, the jeep drivers stop the tourist vehicles at Nandimotte stating that the vehicles will not travel till Mandalpatti and take the tourists in jeeps and charge an exhorbitant rent of Rs 3,000, the villagers said.<br /><br />On hearing the news of protest by the villagers, the jeep drivers suspended their service on Saturday. The jeep drivers had stopped the tourists at Nandimotte and urged them to return as villagers are blocking the roads at Mandalpatti and the tourists returned empty handed.<br /><br />Difficult drive<br /><br />The villagers said the road near Nandimotte is narrow. The parking of jeeps to fetch the tourists is causing inconvenience to the movement of villagers.<br /><br />When a protest was held in the past, the deputy commissioner had directed the regional transport officer to take action against the jeep drivers who fleece tourists. Accordingly, the deputy commissioner had issued an order making yellow board mandarory for the jeep ferrying tourists.<br /><br />At the same time, fine was imposed on the vehicles that failed to adhere to the guidelines. K Nidugane Gram Panchayat had also directed the drivers to park their jeeps on a private land. Initially, the rules were followed. However, over a period of time, the jeep menace has increased in the region, the villagers claimed.<br /><br />When contacted, deputy commissioner Richard Vincent D’Souza said he will discuss the issue with the transport department officials to take legal action. At the same time, the district does not have a permanent RTO and it has aggravated the situation, he said.<br /><br />Makkandoor Aravind said jeeps ferrying tourists travel in a rash manner. Though Mandalpatti is a wildlife spot, the tourists are allowed inside, he said and warned of approaching the high court against forest department for allowing the tourists inside Mandalpatti.</p>
<p>The residents of Devasthooru village have urged the district administration and the police to take action against jeep drivers fleecing tourists who visit Mandalpatti.<br /><br />The jeep drivers’ menace has gone out of control and the authorities should initiate strict action against them, they have demanded.<br /><br />A scuffle broke out between jeep drivers and villagers at Mandalpatti bridge on Saturday when the villagers were staging a protest demanding restriction on the movement of jeeps. The jeep drivers, who visited the spot, entered into a scuffle with the protesting villagers. However, the police intervened and brought the situation under control.<br /><br />Mandalpatti is 22 km away from Madikeri. The road leading to Mandalpatti is narrow. Though vehicles travel up to Mandalpatti, the jeep drivers stop the tourist vehicles at Nandimotte stating that the vehicles will not travel till Mandalpatti and take the tourists in jeeps and charge an exhorbitant rent of Rs 3,000, the villagers said.<br /><br />On hearing the news of protest by the villagers, the jeep drivers suspended their service on Saturday. The jeep drivers had stopped the tourists at Nandimotte and urged them to return as villagers are blocking the roads at Mandalpatti and the tourists returned empty handed.<br /><br />Difficult drive<br /><br />The villagers said the road near Nandimotte is narrow. The parking of jeeps to fetch the tourists is causing inconvenience to the movement of villagers.<br /><br />When a protest was held in the past, the deputy commissioner had directed the regional transport officer to take action against the jeep drivers who fleece tourists. Accordingly, the deputy commissioner had issued an order making yellow board mandarory for the jeep ferrying tourists.<br /><br />At the same time, fine was imposed on the vehicles that failed to adhere to the guidelines. K Nidugane Gram Panchayat had also directed the drivers to park their jeeps on a private land. Initially, the rules were followed. However, over a period of time, the jeep menace has increased in the region, the villagers claimed.<br /><br />When contacted, deputy commissioner Richard Vincent D’Souza said he will discuss the issue with the transport department officials to take legal action. At the same time, the district does not have a permanent RTO and it has aggravated the situation, he said.<br /><br />Makkandoor Aravind said jeeps ferrying tourists travel in a rash manner. Though Mandalpatti is a wildlife spot, the tourists are allowed inside, he said and warned of approaching the high court against forest department for allowing the tourists inside Mandalpatti.</p>
