Udhagamandalam: The morning after the government declared that Rs.1000 and Rs.500 notes will no longer be considered as legal tender, this hill station witnessed mixed reactions to the announcement.

While many of the tourists interviewed by Covai Post said that they had been subjected to considerable inconvenience since, “it was a bolt from the blue”, shop keepers, restaurant owners and officials in-charge of tourist spots said that they could only look on helplessly.

Joint Director of Horticulture N.Mani said that at all the tourist spots run by the department like the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) and the Government Rose Garden (GRG) here and the Sim’s Park in Coonoor many were disappointed but a good number used their mobile phones to avail of the online booking facility which was introduced about a year ago.

Keeping the predicament of tourists in mind, hoteliers particularly those running large units avoided being rigid in refusing Rs.1000 and Rs.500 notes.

Pointing out that those settling bills in cash represented only about 20 percent, the Secretary, Nilgiri Hotels and Restaurants Association (NHRA) N.Chandrashekar said that the sudden development was not a major source of concern for them.

A hotel chain director Rajesh Nahar said that after some initial confusion , “it was business as usual”. All could not pay with credit or debit cards as they did not have sufficient balance.

To a query,he said that the sudden move of the government to put out of circulation the Rs.1000 and Rs.500 notes was most welcome.