KHAMMAM: Tariffs for rooms in private lodges in Bhadrachalam have spiked sharply amid a surge in pilgrims and tourists, causing difficulties for devotees visiting the town to seek darshan of Lord Rama.
With consecutive holidays leading to a heavy influx of visitors, private lodges are allegedly charging between `5,000 and `6,000 per day per room, while smaller lodges are reportedly demanding `3,000 to `4,000. During normal periods, room rents range between `700 and `1,000.
As temple, government and official accommodation facilities are fully occupied, devotees have been forced to depend on private lodges. Many pilgrims, particularly from poor and middle-income groups, have said the high tariffs have made it difficult to find affordable lodging.
K Naga Raju, a devotee from Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, said that he was taken aback by the room charges. He said that after reaching Bhadrachalam during the holidays for darshan, lodge operators quoted rates far higher than expected.
Devotees and local residents have urged the authorities to intervene and regulate room tariffs as per government norms. They have demanded action against lodge operators for alleged exploitation of pilgrims in the agency area.
Attempts by TNIE to contact the sub-collector were unsuccessful. Local residents alleged that the absence of effective monitoring by officials has enabled lodges to charge inflated prices.