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Konark: Tension prevailed at world famous Konark Sun Temple here today after hundreds of tourists expressed their dissatisfaction over shortage of entry tickets into the temple.
Sources said, the Sun Temple witnessed heavy footfall on occasion of holiday today as more than five thousand tourists reportedly visited the 13th century shrine. However, as per the norms, entry passes could be issued to only thousand tourists.
Despite waiting for long hours to get tickets, hundreds of other tourists who had come along with their small children and old family members could not avail the entry passes and had to spend their time sitting under trees.
The shortage of tickets created resentment among the tourists as some of them returned without entering the temple to catch their trains and flights on time. They alleged that though tension prevailed at the temple, neither police nor any officials of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) came to the spot to control the situation.
“We waited to get tokens for more than two hours but could not enter the temple as my husband and brother-in-law who had gone to buy the tickets returned empty handed as there were no tickets for sale,” said Jayanti, a tourist.
“We have visited several tourist locations including the Taj Mahal where the number of tourists used to be too high as compared to the Sun Temple. Despite the heavy footfall, tickets are easily available there as the management is very good. But here, visitors have to stand for hours in queues as there are only two ticket counters. How will the tourism of Odisha be promoted if tourists have negative experience," questioned another tourist.
Reports said, earlier, around 3000 tokens used to be issued for the tourists at a time, however, the number of entry passes have been reduced to only 1000 at present. The change in the rule has been causing lot of inconvenience to thousands of tourists who visit the Sun Temple especially during the holidays.
Meanwhile, neither any ASI official or police was available to comment over the matter.
