Tourists Flock to Agency as Mercury Continues to Drop

Visakhapatnam: A rush of tourists to exotic locations in the ASR district agency tracks is evident as the temperature there continues to drop.

A larger number of tourists were seen in Ramchodavaram agency that includes the Chavadikota View Point, Maredumilli and in Paderu division’s Borra Caves, Ananthagiri, Araku Valley, Vanjangi and Lambasingi.

Thick fog enveloped the entire agency on Sunday, making the commuters struggle on the ghat roads due to poor visibility.

The railways organised two trains to Araku carrying tourists. Borra Caves manager Gowri Shankar said 5,000 tourists visited the caves on Sunday and 4,500 the previous day. A lot of people drove their own cars and some groups hired mini-buses to reach these destinations and experience the winter chill.

Local vehicle operators, particularly auto-rickshaw drivers, made money by taking people to their destinations from the main roads and junctions.

Reports from the agency said the low temperatures were, however, giving a tough time to elderly people and children in the remote villages. They keep burning the firewood round the clock to beat the cold. The minimum temperature in Araku Valley on Sunday was 6.5 degrees Celsius, Hukumpeta and Peda Baylulu 7.4 degrees Celsius each, Ananthagiri 8.6 degrees Celsius, G Madugula 9.8 degrees Celsius and Koyyuru 12.9 degrees Celsius.