Visitors to Chitradurga fort find digital hurdle difficult to breach

Hubballi: A section of visitors to the historical Chitradurga fort either return without seeing the legendary ‘Obavvana kindi’ or argue with guards at the gate to gain free entry as self-ticketing (by scanning QR code) fails to issue tickets due to poor internet connectivity and lengthy process of uploading details on the ASI-pay app.

The ministry of culture, under which the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument comes, has launched self-ticketing only system across India to minimise deployment of human resources at ticket counters, reduce operation cost (purchase of ticket rolls and vending machines) and reduce queue time.

Chitradurga fort is one of the 25 monuments across India to pilot this initiative. However, forget the benefits, visitors to the fort are facing hardships.

A security guard at Chitradurga fort said seven out of 10 attempts fail due to poor network.

It takes at least 8-10 minutes for each transaction to complete as visitors have to fill in their details along with uploading identity proof and mobile numbers on the ASI-pay app.

“Many visitors don’t carry smart-phones or do not have phone-pay/G-pay. The network coverage at the fort is poor. So, it becomes very difficult to manage the crowd,” said another guard.

As many as 16 centrally protected monuments in Karnataka have entry tickets.

Among them, two monuments — Chitradurga fort and Tipu Sultan palace in Bengaluru — allow visitors only under self-ticketing system.

Visitors have to scan a QR code placed at the entry gate via digital payment apps and buy tickets.

Of the 25 monuments selected by ASI across India for this pilot project, two are in Karnataka.

The ASI intends to implement self-ticketing system across all 250 centrally protected ticketed monuments in the country.

A senior ASI official said the key main intention of the Ministry of Culture to implement ASI-pay app is to give Indian visitors Rs 5 discount and foreign visitors Rs 50 discount.

However, multiple ASI officials and guides at Hampi and Vijayapura informed DH that the app, instead of helping visitors, was resulting in hardships.

“Earlier, we used to deploy two staff to issue tickets at Vijayapura monuments. Now, with the government insisting on self-ticketing, we are deploying five staff on weekends to help tourists,” said a Dharwad circle officer of ASI.

The app has also reduced mass booking of tickets. Only five persons can book a ticket per number.

Basavaraj, a guide at Hampi, says visitors are facing problems while booking tickets at Lotus Mahal and Vittala temple complex due to poor network coverage.

“A majority of visitors buy tickets at the counter though they are a bit costlier than booking through QR scanning method,” he says and adds the process should have been as simple as making a digital payment.

An ASI officer at Hampi circle said the complaint had been brought to the notice of higher-ups.

“The network issue wasn’t brought to our notice, we will look into it,” he says.

A senior officer in Bengaluru circle, under which Chitradurga fort and Tipu Sultan palace come, says they are just following orders from the ministry of culture.

“We have been asked to issue tickets at these monuments only via QR code scanning. Officials in Delhi or regional directors can take a call on reactivating  booking counters,” he says. 

Many visitors are not able to enter the Chitradurga fort as they don