Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Ajanta caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, witnessed a surge of over 15,000 visitors last weekend 5,000 on Saturday and 10,000 on Sunday.
Shuttle services between Fardapur T-Point and the caves earned over Rs 3 lakh, as pleasant weather and the weekend drew tourists from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, across Maharashtra, and beyond. The lush, rain-fed greenery around the caves added to the charm. This marks the second consecutive weekend of heavy turnout. On Friendship Day last Sunday, around 5,000 tourists had visited the caves. August 9 and 10, both holidays, again brought crowds not only to Ajanta but also to Ellora Caves, Daulatabad Fort, and Mhaismal. However, limited transport marred the experience. Only five buses ran in the morning and nine in the afternoon, against the 15 needed to handle the rush. Visitors queued for up to two hours, with drivers and conductors doubling as crowd managers in the absence of traffic controllers.