The usually busy coastal town of Mamallapuram looks desolate. The serpentine roads around various archaeological monuments are devoid of traffic. Shops selling clothes, stone sculptures and trinkets are waiting for customers. The tourist guides, photographers, sea shell sellers, sculpture makers and sellers, postcard vendors and autorickshaw drivers who populate this tourist destination are all jobless, and look eagerly at every passing vehicle.
With tourist spots yet to reopen, those who depend on the industry are in dire straits.
“We have borrowed heavily. We don’t know what to do. A few kind people, including hoteliers, have helped us with provisions. But we need to pay school and college fees for our children and rent as well,” said V.A. Balan, who has worked as a guide for 30 years in Mamallapuram.
There are around 150 guides, 250 photographers, 350 stone sculpture sellers, 50 tender coconut sellers, 100 autorickshaw drivers and 150 trinket sellers whose livelihoods depend on tourism in the town. Some of the guides are recognised by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation as well.
“After the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese President [Xi Jinping] last year, there was a surge in visitors. We used to be busy till 9 p.m. But all of a sudden, in March this year, due to the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our lives turned topsy-turvy. Most of us are daily-wage earners. But now, we have no income. If the government gives us some cash assistance like it did for other sectors, it would be very timely,” said S. Balu, a stone sculpture seller.
These men, who are all friends, gather near Arjuna’s Penance almost every day to discuss their difficulties. They have been urging the State and Central governments to come up with some kind of a revival package for their town.
“We don’t know whom to approach. We require help immediately. There are people like D. Gnanaprakash, who leaves his six-year-old daughter with his neighbours while going for construction work twice a week since his tender coconut shop remains closed, who need urgent help. Many are in a bad shape,” said J. Sethuraman of Mamalla Hotels Group.
A tourism sector expert said that a revival package was a must for the industry. “The Kerala government recently announced a package. They have also decided to reopen tourist spots to domestic travellers. This is an important sector which brings in revenue to the government,” he said.
Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar said that the affected persons in the tourist town could petition the District Collector, who would take immediate steps to help them.
