Tourists slowly return to Puri & Konark though Jagannath temple yet to reopen

Puri had barely managed to put behind the damage caused by Cyclone Fani and welcome back tourists when the novel coronavirus pandemic pressed the pause button again in March. But the coastal town, which boasts of several famous beaches and the world-renowned Jagannath temple, is bouncing back yet again.

Shasank Rath, tourism officer of Puri, told us that the flow of tourists to Puri has increased after the restrictions on movement along roads were lifted. “Many local tourists, mostly from different districts of Odisha, are visiting the town on weekends. People from neighbouring states like West Bengal, Jharkhand and Chhatishgarh are also coming in by road and by train,” he said, adding, “Once the Jagannath temple reopens, the number of tourists will surely go up.”
Thrust on tourism
While all living monuments (which are still active religiously), like the Jagannath temple, in the state are still closed, non-living ones like the Konark temple are open to tourists. But the state government has initiated a host of measures to woo tourists back to the state. Hotels have been allowed to operate in active tourism spots and even eco-tourism and nature camps have been restarted. The state tourism department also has started several projects to lure people back.

Moreover, train services to Puri resumed from October 1, making travel to the seaside town easier. Even daily buses ply to Puri from Bhubaneswar. “In the past 10 days, we have been noticing an increase in tourist flow. We are hopeful that in the coming tourist season, Puri will bounce back completely,” Rath said.
Moreover, the tourism department has been screening and training hotel employees and taxi drivers. “Our primary focus is to create a safe environment for tourists as well as people dependent on tourism. So, we have taken up a large-scale screening programme of hotel and restaurant staff. We are also sensitising cab drivers and hotel staff about safety protocols,” said Vishal Kumar Dev, commissioner-cum-secretary, Odisha Tourism, adding that they have also taken steps to promote tourism. On the World Tourism Day, they started an initiative, Tourism by Road, to attract more people who love driving to places. Odia cuisines are also being promoted. “We are also extending the eco-retreat programme, which was held last year on Puri beach, to four other places across the state,” he added.
Hotels following SOPs
Hotels and restaurants, which started reopening in September, have been asked to strictly follow Covid-19 safety guidelines. But hotel owners are still looking to the future with hope, as occupancy continues to be low. “In the past one month, many tourists from West Bengal and neighbouring states have been visiting Puri by road. Several hotels, are also getting a lot of enquiries and bookings for the upcoming festival season. We are hoping that the festive season will ensure more than 50% occupancy in most hotels,” said Raj Kishore Patra, a hotel owner and Vice chairman, HRAO.

According to Saroj Kumar Rath, joint secretary of Hotel and Restaurant Association of Odisha (HRAO), a very few tourists are visiting Odisha by train. “I saw today four-five tourists arriving by train from Bengal on Saturday. Unless more trains come to Puri, the flow of tourists won’t increase. We hope things will change during the Puja season,” he said.
Hopes pinned on Blue Flag tag
To lure more people to the Golden beach, a stretch of around 1 km has been cleaned and beautifully decorated with an aim to get it Blue Flag certified. The beach is among eight Indian beaches recently recommended for the prestigious certification. “The Blue Flag tag is given to beaches which have eco-friendly tourist amenities. If the Golden beach gets it, it will increase the tourism potential of the town,” Dev said.

Footfall increasing at Konark temple
The temple, an ASI protected monument, is witnessing some footfall since it reopened on September 1. According to ASI officials, around 150-200 tourists have been visiting the monument every day since its reopening, with a slightly higher footfall on weekends. “But with things opening up and restrictions being lifted on more areas, we are hopeful that the footfall will increase soon,” said Arun Mallick, superintending archaeologist, Bhubaneswar circle, ASI.

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