Kerala Tourism has directed district tourism promotion councils (DTPCs) to restrict access to waterfalls, reservoirs and other tourist sites linked to water bodies in districts under orange alert, as well as neighbouring districts affected by spreading rainfall. The instructions follow rain warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and will remain in force until the warnings are withdrawn.
The directions cover tourist destinations and roads in hilly regions that are prone to landslides and mudslides. DTPCs have been told to keep restrictions in place until rainfall subsides in these areas, while enforcing necessary travel controls on routes leading to vulnerable locations.
The department has also ordered the installation of safety signboards at landslide-prone points. The signs are intended to warn visitors and motorists about hazards on approach roads to tourist sites, particularly in hilly areas where intense or persistent rainfall can affect road access and slope stability.
Tourists arriving in Kerala from other states and countries must be informed about the weather warnings and restrictions, according to the instructions. District tourism authorities have been asked to widely circulate emergency contact numbers so visitors know whom to contact if they are involved in an accident or become stranded.
DTPCs have further been directed to operate dedicated control rooms around the clock until the warning period ends. Information about restrictions at tourist destinations is to be publicised through the media and social media platforms, allowing visitors to check access conditions before travelling.
The instructions also require updates on destination-level restrictions to be shared with police control rooms, disaster management authorities and fire and rescue services. This coordination is intended to ensure that agencies responsible for emergency response have current information about closures and travel controls.
The department’s directions place the DTPCs at the centre of implementing local safety measures while coordinating with enforcement and emergency-response agencies. The restrictions apply not only to districts directly under orange alert but also to neighbouring districts where rainfall is spreading, widening the area in which tourist access may be controlled.
The curbs are temporary and linked to the duration of the IMD warnings and rainfall conditions in vulnerable areas. Tourism authorities are expected to continue the restrictions until the warnings are withdrawn and rain subsides in hilly regions at risk of landslides and mudslides.
