TTDC Online - Do we need RTI for everything???

My Rant #1: Why have multiple domains for achieving the same objective?
There is a TN Tourism website, and there is a TN Online Booking website. Of course, over time information (contact info, room rates, etc.) between them will be divergent. Does anyone care about the end user? Is it really easy or convenient or cheaper to maintain 2 sites? Or is it just taxpayer funding the ego massage of 2 different babus who refuse to talk to each other?

My Rant #2: Why have hotels listed in the same group when online booking is not available for all?
Check the Chennai TTDC Hotel listed in this link. Tariff indicates Double Room A/c for 750 INR & being bang opposite the Chennai Central Rly Station, it is the best choice for those with inconvenient arrival/departure timings. Now check the TTDC Online Booking hotel list in this link. This specific Chennai hotel is missing - by design or oversight, no one knows!

My Rant #3: Why have e-mail ids for commercial establishments when no one intends to read them at all?
I sent an e-mail to this ID, listed on the TN Tourism hotel page, asking for clarification on how to book online, but received no response for 2 days. Next, I forwarded the mail to this ID, listed on TTDC Online Contact Us page, but received no response for 2 days. Now I have forwarded the mail to this ID, listed on TN Govt site - Tourism Dept page. If this does not work, I would have to look up some more mail-ids to find the chain of command...
I know, it is easy to make a phone call (perhaps that's what I'll do eventually), but why is it so hard to maintain the web presence for these organizations?

Update on 17-Feb-12:

Finally, the 3rd level resulted in a response. They indicated that it has to be booked by calling the hotel directly & sending a DD (for those of new-age banking generation, that is a Demand Draft).

I finally called the hotel as advised, and was informed that rooms are available for the category on the dates I wanted. They suggested that I visit TTDC counter in my city & make the booking there, which was much appreciated.

Here is the list of such counters: See link & scroll down to 'Sales Counters', or see this link.

Update on 18-Feb-12:

I visited the TTDC counter as suggested & managed to book the hotel as suggested. Cheers!

My Rant #4:

The phone number for TTDC counter in Bhubaneswar (0674-2430169) kept ringing on Friday evening & Saturday morning with no response.

I reached the TTDC Counter (it is within OTDC Panthanivas complex) on Saturday at 10:30AM & noted it was closed. One person said it will open later in the day, another said it is closed on Saturday/Sunday, the reception at Panthanivas said it has been shifted to a new location (not too far away), the OTDC booking counter mentioned that it opens by 11AM (which thankfully was the correct information). How hard is it to post your timings on the door???

My Rant #5:

The counter was opened by 2 persons, one of them had to write a letter & another had to help him write the letter. Neither had the time to take my money & give me the receipt promptly. It took almost 30 mins to get my reservation done, despite me being the 1st (& only) customer. At the time of issuing the slip, the pen ran out of ink & they had to go out to buy a new pen! They accept only Cash (no card facility, irrespective of amount). Finally, there was a service charge of Rs. 50 for all the human contact provided for half an hour!

How can tourism be successful when there is no respect for another person's time and preferences? Perhaps it is just a numbers game (if you don't want it, someone else will).