Authority plans bicycles for tourists in Hampi, seeks public opinion

NT Correspondent

With a view to protecting the five century-old historic monuments, the Hampi World Heritage Site Management Authority has sought people’s opinion on providing an App-based bicycle service to tourists visiting the world-famous spot in Hosapete taluk in the newly created Vijayanagar district.

The Department of Tourism has provided two battery operated buses and has imposed curbs on the unnecessary movement of private vehicles inside the remnants of the great Krishnadevaraya empire to make sure they are conserved for coming generations. The UNESCO has declared Hampi a world heritage site.

The Directorate of Urban Land Transport has undertaken the survey on providing App based bicycle service to visiting tourists. The questionnaire includes the type of bicycles and the suitable season for providing the service.

The government is keen on speeding up the project since some private individuals and a few homestays have been giving the bicycles on rent to tourists without following any guidelines. Some tourists are already using bicycles inside the Hampi site without sticking to the specific routes fixed for cycling by the Authority. The project aims at providing a proper service to tourists and will also fix the routes which will enable them to have a panoramic view of the 15th century historic marvel.

The location of the monuments is such that it is not possible to visit all places in a four-wheeler and a bicycle is the ideal choice for such places. For people who cannot pedal due to some reason, the Authority is contemplating providing e-cycles. A suitable route would be fixed by the Authority which would be shared with stakeholders. After the survey, the fees and the agency would be finalised by the authorities concerned.

The historic monuments are scattered around Hampi and it takes at least four days to have a complete tour and get a comprehensive insight into what the Vijayanagar kingdom was.