Hampi Visitors Demand Parking Upgrades Amid New Fee Rollout

As of October 1, 2025, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has introduced a new parking fee system in Hampi, the historic Vijayanagara site. Under this system, even vehicles merely passing by the monument areas are required to pay a fee, ranging from Rs 5 for bicycles to Rs 60 for buses.

However, tourists and residents are fuming over this move, as the parking lots remain in poor condition, with potholes, stones, and dirt scattered across the spaces. Many have accused the authorities of "extorting money" without providing adequate facilities.

Local autorickshaw drivers have lodged complaints with the area's MLA, HR Gaviyappa, while frequent visitors like Vijayakumar Hanagi have expressed their frustration. The new fees have also angered residents of nearby villages, who feel they are being unfairly targeted.

Defending the charges, ASI's Hampi Circle superintendent, Ramakrishna Reddy, claims the fees are meant for development purposes rather than profit. He acknowledges the need for improvements to the parking areas and says they are awaiting approval from higher authorities to carry out the necessary work.

Representatives of the contractors working in the area have argued that public objections should have been considered before the new fee structure was implemented. They suggest that residents, rickshaws, and bicycles could have been exempted from the charges.

The deputy director of the Tourism Department, Prabhulinga Talakeri, has assured that the department will take up the issue with the deputy commissioner and write to ASI to reconsider the parking fees, especially for bicycles.