Moderate Crowds Expected in ASR This Weekend

 Visakhapatnam: Hotel and restaurant owners and tour operators are expecting moderate crowds at popular tourist centers in ASR district this weekend beginning with Ugadi on Friday.

The district is witnessing a dry period due to off season and LPG supply troubles; and this was shutting down restaurants.

“Around 60 per cent of the government-run APTDC hotels in the district have been booked for this weekend,’’ said ASR district tourism officer K Dasu.

He said APTDC has five hotels spread over Araku Valley (two hotels), Ananthagiri, Tyda and Lambasinghi having 235 rooms. In the private sector, 112 hotels have around 1300 rooms. The exact position would be known by Thursday evening.

“We are receiving enquiries on the functioning of restaurants, weather and availability of rooms from various places of Andhra Pradesh and Hyderabad,’’ said a representative of Araku Valley’s biggest private hotel.

He said the thundershowers during the last two days brought down the temperature and pleasant weather is prevailing. He said many might make a day visit instead of staying in hotels.

There will be lesser crowds compared to previous weekends as the SSC and Intermediate examinations are still continuing in the state, said manager of Borra Caves Ch Gowri Shankar. Youngsters, newly weds and middle aged people might visit the spot for two days, he said.

“At present not more than 700 people are visiting the ASR district,’’ he said.

APTDC officials said people from Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Anakapalle and Narsipatnam might visit the glass bridge atop Kailasagiri Hill, TU 142 aircraft museum, Kursura submarine museum, Thotlakonda and RK Beach.