9 months ago
ASR Hills See Surge in Tourism and Road Mishaps
The ASR hills are very cold and many people are visiting to see the beautiful places there.
The hotels are all full, and some people are even staying by bonfires to see the clouds in the morning.
The tourism department says this is the busiest time of the year.
However, the cold and fog might make it hard for some people to visit.
Also, there have been many accidents on the roads because of the fog and bad roads.
The government is thinking about banning vehicles on the ghat roads to keep people safe.
Temperatures in Araku Valley dropped to 3.2°C, attracting many tourists.
Hotels in Araku Valley and Lambasingi are fully booked till December 31.
APTDC and private hotels have limited rooms, leading to some tourists returning the same day.
Borra Caves recorded 6,500 visitors on Saturday alone.
Dense fog and extreme cold may deter some visitors and cause road accidents.
- Who
- Tourists and road users in ASR district
- What
- Increased tourism and road accidents due to cold weather and fog
- Where
- Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, Visakhapatnam
- When
- December, continuing till Sankranti (January 14)
- Why
- Near-freezing temperatures, scenic views, and foggy conditions leading to low visibility
Key facts
- Location
- Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, Visakhapatnam
- Lowest Temperature
- 3.2°C in Araku Valley
- APTDC Rooms
- 208 in Ananthagiri, Tyda, Borra Caves
- Private Rooms
- Around 100 in ASR district
- Lambasingi Cottages
- 15 APTDC, 50 private resorts
- Tourist Footfall
- 6,500 visitors on Saturday
- Peak Season
- Till Sankranti (January 14)
- Accidents in 3 Years
- 990 accidents, 619 deaths, 415 injuries
- Recent Ban
- Commercial heavy vehicles banned on Chintoor and Maredumilli ghat road
- Proposed Ban
- Possible vehicle ban on all ghat roads till January end
Quotes
ASR collector Dinesh Kumar
ASR collector
“We may ban vehicles on all the ghat roads in the district till January end, when the foggy conditions generally subside, and would take up immediate repairs. We would announce the ban after completion of a process that’s currently on, possibly during the road safety meeting in a day or two”
deccanchronicle.com
A motorist
A motorist who regularly visits the agency to sell cosmetics
“Every year, tree branches are cut after the monsoons for free movement of vehicles. But this was not being done this time”
deccanchronicle.com
