With women operators of battery-operated vehicles (buggies) resorting to a strike to press for their demands, gullible tourists thronging the world famous Hampi had to bear the brunt of it on Wednesday.
Tourists of all ages were forced to take a 1.5-km stroll in scorching heat when the very few buggies (seven of the 25) in running condition were taken off the road due to the strike.
Even the green bus, recently introduced by the authorities concerned on a trial basis for the convenience of tourists in the wake of the buggies being rendered useless for want of repairs and maintenance, were also not allowed by the striking operators to ply.
To avoid any threat to the ancient Vijaya Vittala monument, which houses the stone chariot and the musical pillars and has been a major attraction among tourists, movement of vehicles has been banned between Gejjala Mantap and the monument. Tourists were being ferried in the battery-operated vehicles.
The striking operators have been demanding that the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority initiate immediate steps to ensure that all buggies are repaired and kept in running condition. They have said that the green bus service should be withdrawn.
At present, only three buggies are in running condition while the rest are rendered useless for want of repairs and maintenance.
