The spring festival is not happening, but Shantiniketan is flooded with tourists, the hotel rent is 5 thousand taka!

Swing festival on Tuesday. Although there is no spring festival in Visva Bharati, there is no shortage of enthusiasm among tourists. Overcrowded hotels, resorts, homestays. And house rent in packet system has increased by leaps and bounds. It is reported that hotel room rent is going for 4 to 5 thousand taka. Home stays are similarly priced upwards. It is reported that almost all the hotels and home stays in Shantinketan, Bolpur are booked.

Even though Visva Bharati was not organized this year, several wards of Bolpur Municipality organized cultural events including Basantotsav. Also, various hotels and homestays including Srijani Shilpagram, Kangkalitala, Kopai river banks of Purpanchal Sanskara Kendra do not hesitate to organize Basantotsav on their own. Hotel lodges in Bolpur Shantiniketan have hiked their own guest house rates at the same rate! Recently, there has been a controversy surrounding the publication of the new package fare list. As soon as the notification of the university authorities came out, there was a storm of questions and criticism on social media.

According to the notification published on the website of Visva Bharati, the rent of a double bedded AC room at Ratan Kuthi Guest House for a 2-day package from Monday noon to Wednesday noon is Rs.5,000 and Rs.4,000 in Annex Purvapalli Guest House has been charged Tk 4,000 for a four-bed AC room and Tk 3,000 for a three-bed AC room, Tk 2,500 for a double-bed AC room, Tk 1,600 for a single bed AC and Tk 800 for a non-AC dormitory. In International Guest House, the rent for a double bedded AC room has been fixed at Tk 2,500 and dormitory at Tk 800. 5,000 has been charged for a double bedded AC room in the fifth guest house. It has been informed that additional GST will be applicable along with the rent for each day.

And since the publication of this notification, mixed reactions have been seen on social media. Many have commented that the fare hike is excessive. A large section also expressed the fear of being out of reach of ordinary visitors. Private hotels are reported to have higher rents. There is almost no room below 8 to 10 thousand rupees in the package system in various hotels and resorts in Bolpur! It is reported that hotels, home stays in Santiniketan have been booked. It is reported that the administration has also kept strict surveillance for security.