Special bus services have been introduced between Burliar and Coonoor in the Nilgiris, six days after landslides closed the Coonoor–Mettupalayam ghat road and disrupted travel for school and college students and tribal residents. The services began on Thursday following requests from residents affected by the road closure.
One bus will leave Burliar for Coonoor bus stand at 7.30am, while a return service will depart from Coonoor at 5pm. The arrangement was announced by Nilgiris district collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru after residents sought the restoration of public transport for students who were struggling to reach educational institutions.
The road disruption followed heavy rainfall in the Nilgiris last week, which triggered multiple landslides along the ghat road. Burliar recorded 25cm of rain, the highest rainfall reported in the affected area. One major landslide buried a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus and killed its driver.
Following the incident, traffic on the Coonoor–Mettupalayam route was suspended. The Kotagiri road has been used as an alternative route between Udhagamandalam and Mettupalayam while restoration work continues on the damaged stretch.
The disruption has particularly affected residents of Burliar, where the loss of the regular road connection has complicated daily travel to schools, colleges and other services. The special buses are intended to provide a limited scheduled connection between Burliar and Coonoor while the main ghat road remains closed.
The incident has also exposed the dependence of settlements in the Nilgiris on a small number of mountain roads. When a landslide blocks a ghat route, residents can face simultaneous restrictions on public transport, education and access to nearby urban centres. In this case, the district administration’s response has focused first on maintaining a scheduled commute for students and tribal residents while road restoration is under way.
The special services will operate on the Burliar–Coonoor stretch at the announced morning and evening timings. Traffic on the affected ghat road remains suspended, and restoration work is continuing on the landslide-hit section.
