The desire to be a part of Mahakumbh that books a berth in the heaven has virtually sold out hotels and cottages in the Sangam city.
Regional tourist officer, Amit Srivastava informed that all the luxury
cottages have been booked on the nine main days (such as Shahi Snaan)
and their occupancy rate on other days is over 60% as of now. "The
cottages will see cent percent occupancy for other days January and
February by the end before Diwali this year," claimed Srivastava. The
tourism department sets up some 45 luxury cottages inside the Kumbh Mela
site, which are like a hotel room on the banks of the river.
Not only this, all the 345 Swiss cottages (suite comprising drawing and
bed room and properly constructed and tiled toilets) which are
constructed by the state tourism department - Hotel Rahi Triveni Darshan
are fully occupied. The cottages are raised along the road to Sangam.
They are about two kilometres from the Kumbh Mela site. A person has to
shell Rs 6,000 per day for a stay in this cottage and the cost includes
fooding as well. "Queries are pouring in. My cell phone rings all the
time and the e-mail inbox is almost flooded," admitted DP Singh,
manager, UP Tourism Development Corporation hotels in Allahabad.
There is hardly any place left in private hotels as well. "The entire
hotel is sold out during the Kumbh period. "We have bookings from NRIs
particularly those living in US and UK. Scores of foreign media has also
reserved suites and rooms," said Rajeev Shandilya,
general manager of a four star luxury hotel in Allahabad. He added that
his hotel was in the process of status upgradation as well keeping the
Kumbh in mind. "We would very soon become a five-star hotel.
Tourism department officials said most of the hotels were
preparing themselves to cash upon the mega event. "We have reports that
most of the hotels in the luxury segment are full on main days and they
will be solely occupied by the time Kumbh starts. The remaining have
deliberately delayed their advance booking keeping in mind the benefits
of last minute bookings," said RTO Srivastava. It may be noted that the
Sangam city has 33 hotels in the luxury category, 60-70 hotels in the
budget category and about 30 places in the other category that comprises
dharamshalas and guest houses.
The tourism department is aware
of the overwhelming response. And so, it has introduced the bed and
breakfast scheme in the city. Under this scheme, owner of a house can
enrol with the department to accommodate tourists. The owner has to
ensure comfortable stay and breakfast to the tourist. This provides
affordable accommodation to tourists and helps locals earn good money.
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| U.P. Tourism, Allahabad (Rahi llawart Tourist Bungalow) |
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