Free bullock cart rides for Ajanta tourits

Ajanta (Maharashtra), Jan 15: Local Handicraft Shop Owners Association (HSOA) adopted a unique way of protest against the hike in bus fares by providing free bullock-cart rides to tourists to the famous Ajanta-Ellora caves here, and at the same time demanded the need to promote non-polluting modes of transport like buggies and bullock carts.

HSOA arranged 60 bullock carts to take tourists from the 'T point' to the caves yesterday to protest the increase in Maharastra State Road Tranport Corporation (MSRTC) bus fares from Rs 6 to Rs 10 for non-a/c buses and from Rs 10 to Rs 20 for a/c buses with no concession to students visiting the caves.

HSOA President Papindrapal Singh said the association has demanded authorities to maintain the previous bus fare as tourists, especially students found the hike high and exorbitant.

Mr Singh said prior to year 2002, each tourist had to spend only Rs 5 to visit the caves while now he has to dole out Rs 65 to Rs 75, including entry fee, parking fee and amenities tax.

He said on an average 16,000 to 18,000 tourists visit the sites during peak season, from November to January.

Local resident and shop owner S H Razique blamed the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) and MSRTC for the turn of events.

He said both the MTDC and MSRTC lacked co-ordination. And this was affecting the service.

Mr Singh said, despite the fact that the buses running on diesel caused pollution, MTDC was not taking an initiative for running buggies and bullock-carts.

There are plenty of the people whose lands have been acquired by the MTDC here to launch pollution-free transport services, but they are not taking initiative, he alleged.

Despite, the agitation, the tourists yesterday were quite jocund and upbeat about their rides in a bullock-cart. Australian tourist Ms Moria told UNI, ''It is my first ride on a bullock-cart and I find it very exciting. It would be a memorable visit for me and my friends.'' Another tourist from Mumbai, Afzal Sheikh was of the opinion that providing bullock carts to carry tourists was a good business proposition for the locals as the ride would be economical to both the domestic and foreign tourists.

A Korean tourist was so impressed with the bullock cart ride that he suggested it be made a permanent affair.

Others like Bharti Prasad and her husband Ram Jagannath Prasad from Pune were happy with the bullock-cart ride and hoped the authorities took note of the agitation and supported their initiatives.

When contacted, MTDC official A K Sayyed told UNI he had already conveyed the issues raised by HSOA to his higher authorities. He said, ''The decision to go back to the earlier fares can only be taken by MSRTC.'' He said MTDC may allow non-polluting transport services such as buggie or bullock-carts if a concrete proposal was mooted by locals to authorities.

UNI