The popular “Hampi By Night” show at the UNESCO heritage site in Hampi has been halted for the past two months due to unpaid electricity bills amounting to Rs 70 lakh.
Officials from the private company running the show informed reporters that they had settled their payments. They also mentioned that the show is currently paused due to the onset of the monsoon.
This indicates that the pending payments needs to be cleared by the tourism department and the Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA).
The ‘Hampi By Night’ show, which typically runs on weekends and special occasions, has faced a halt. With the bills overdue, the Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM) has issued a notice to the district administration. In response, the district administration is considering taking over the project.
Krishna Kumar, CEO of Innovative Lighting System, which operates the show, stated, “We have paid our share and clear bills monthly. The site has five transformers – two with a 500 kWh capacity and three with a 250 kWh capacity. We use only the two 500 kWh transformers. Approximately 6,000 tourists enjoy the show each month. We are unaware of the district administration’s plans to take over the show.”
Regarding the GESCOM notice, a senior district official commented, “We will address the issue by communicating with the state government and relevant authorities. We aim to resolve this promptly and resume the show. During Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s recent visit to Vijayanagara, we briefed him on the situation and are now awaiting further instructions.”