Gandhi Hill in the city will finally get its due attention in the days to come. As part of efforts to give the important place a massive facelift, a team of officials and local politicians climbed atop the hill on Saturday to assess the situation and explore various angles of development.
MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, Vijayawada West MLA Vellampalli Srinivasa Rao, local industrialist and Gandhi Hill Foundation Chairman Gokaraju Gangaraju, Sub-Collector Hari Chandana and officials of the Vijayawada region of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) visited the place. The visit to the hill was in connection with the formal launch of development works. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy will lay the foundation for works on development proposed by the APTDC at an estimated cost of Rs. 5.2 crore.
Union Minister of State for Tourism K. Chiranjeevi had recently sanctioned Rs.5.2 crore for the development and the Vijayawada MP promised to get some more funds from the State government to give a boost to the development activity on the Gandhi Hill.
It was at this Hill located at a height of 500 feet that the first Gandhi Memorial with seven stupas was constructed to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation. This 52-foot-high stupa was unveiled on October 6 in 1968 by Dr. Zakir Hussain.
A light and sound show at the planetarium here was a big attraction while a library, which provides rare insights into the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi was a much sought-after place in the past.
The idea is to bring back life to the neglected monument that has been craving for attention. The toy train, the library and the planetarium, all in a dilapidated state, will get fresh life while the size of the dome will increase, said Mr. Gangaraju. Once spruced up, the Hill-top attractions are sure to beckon families seeking some quality entertainment within the city limits.
