Wet blanket: Long weekend, longer detours for Bengalureans

Bengaluru: With the monsoon set to intensify and weathermen predicting wet conditions in many parts of the state for the next four to five days, Bengalureans are customising plans for a five-day weekend.

While some travellers said they were going ahead with itineraries finalised weeks ahead, others said they would wait for a clearer picture of the weather before they pick short-drive destinations.

Officials at the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation told DH that chartered trips to Wayanad had to be cancelled following the devastating landslides. Srinath K S, General Manager (Transport), said there was a downward trend in bookings for Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu this weekend.

Vishal Agarwal, founder of the Bangalore RD350 Club, has scheduled a ride to Kudremukh with a team of 40 bikers, between August 14 and 17. “We did not want to go via Charmadi Ghat because of the heavy rains last week and roadblocks. From Hassan, we’ll take a diversion towards Belur and look for accommodation at Sringeri,” he said. However, he added that the routes would, still, depend on the weather.

Frequent travellers noted that some of the popular destinations, forced into closure after steady spells of rain, have started to open up. Tourism communities in destinations like Chikmagalur have been sending out welcome-back notes on social media, asking visitors to help the local industry recover.

The long weekend which starts on Thursday comes with school holidays and festivals – Independence Day on Thursday, followed by Varamahalakshmi on Friday, and raksha bandhan on Monday. Many professionals in the city are also heading home to other parts of the state and the country.

Proprietors of homestays in Kodagu said they were “overwhelmed” with enquiries received during the week but travellers DH spoke with did not have Kodagu as their top pick. Their major concerns were about the weather and the possibility of unmotorable roads. On August 5, the operator of the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru issued a passenger advisory, stating a possible surge in passenger volumes during the weekend.

Travel booking apps have been promoting ‘freedom sale’ discounts ranging from Rs 250 to Rs 1,000 on tickets. A representative of tour operator Thomas Cook said enquiries were coming in for packages to destinations including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and Bhutan.

Navin Poonacha, Digital Marketing Consultant for Coorg Homestays Association, said the enquiries they received were limited to homestays advertised on social media platforms. “In June and July, registered homestays were closed due to heavy rains and the risk of landslides. But a recovery is on, with enquiries pouring in again,” he said.

This monsoon, riders appear to have favoured Chikmagalur over Kodagu. Rider Karna Joseph, however, is taking a heritage route this weekend, with a 12-rider trip to Trichy and Thanjavur.