[Assunkkensatt]

The number of foreigners visiting and staying in historical Mamallapuram, popularly known as Mahabs, has come down by over 50 per cent thanks to frequent power outages.

Hotel rooms in the coastal town have been lying vacant for the last three months, as tourists now head to nearby Pondy after spending just a few hours at the rock cut temples of Mahabs. November to March is the peak season in Mahabs during which 80,000 tourists including 50,000 foreigners arrive per month.

Though it is off-season from April to October, usually 15,000 tourists includ ing about 5,000 foreigners visit the spot.

“But this year only a couple of hundreds of foreigners have arrived and the number of local tourists visiting the coastal town is also not encouraging,“ says K. Dinesh, a local cab driver.

More than 60 hotels operate in Mahabs and only a dozen of them have generator facilities.

“There are power cuts at least thrice a day amounting to about four to five hours in all, affecting our business,“ says A. Veerasamy, a hotel proprietor and a local resident.

The power cuts increases mosquito menace and the foul smell from the drainage adds to the distress.

“This has irked the public visiting the tourist spot,“ adds Veerasamy.

Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) officials admitted that power cuts were frequent and said the substation erected in Mamallapuram last year had failed to serve its purpose because of low voltage supply and worn out cables.

- - DC Chennai