Lucknow, Dec 17 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh government has directed the Lucknow district administration to ensure that hotels do not take any advance booking during the key dates in January.

This has been done to avoid overpricing in hotel tariffs ahead of the consecration ceremony at Ayodhya's Ram temple on January 22, according to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's principal secretary, Sanjay Prasad.

The principal secretary has directed that no advance booking should be made in hotels on January 20, 21, 22, and 23.

"The programme is quite grand, and a large number of people/dignitaries/guests are expected to arrive in the district. We must ensure that everyone takes back happy memories of good hospitality. Thus, advance booking and resultant overpricing of the hotel rooms should be avoided at all costs, especially on January 20, 21, 22, and 23," Prasad said.

He further said that starting January 22, special care should be taken to ensure that the tourists have a wholesome experience while visiting the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He said the administration and police should ensure that hotel staff are properly trained to ensure a courteous welcome for the guests.

Besides, a thorough verification of all newly appointed personnel working in the hotel must be done to avoid any inconvenience to the guests, he added.

Lucknow district magistrate Surya Pal Gangwar has directed the hotels to ensure no advance booking is done and the ones that have been done by the agents to rake in profits, should be cancelled.

"A mandatory meeting/training of hotel staff and taxi drivers should be organised to train them to behave politely with the visiting guests," he directed.

Meanwhile, the decision on cancellation of bookings has already created momentary confusion. While hoteliers assumed they had to cancel all the bookings already made, the administration clarified that only those bookings where agents have blocked the rooms to rake in profit later need to be verified and cancelled accordingly.

"Only those bookings where agents have booked a set of rooms in advance and plan to sell them for higher prices later need to be verified and cancelled accordingly," the district magistrate said.