The State government has issued a notification for the constitution of a high-power nine-member advisory committee for the Hyderabad Karnataka region on the lines of the Bengaluru Tourism Advisory Committee for developing tourism hotspots in the region and implement circuit-based tourism projects to improve the inflow of foreign and domestic tourists.
The advisory committee consisting of senior officials, historians, and academicians has been mandated to identify places which are famous for their heritage value and religious importance, Priyank Kharge, Minister of State for Tourism and IT/BT, told presspersons here on Monday.
Ecologically important places and wildlife centres would also be identified for the development by the committee. The State government, which has set a deadline of five months for the committee to come out with its blueprint for the tourism development of the region, has been asked specifically to come out with circuit-based tourism to suit all sections of society, Mr. Kharge said. Based on the recommendations of the committee the Tourism Department would appoint consultants to prepare the Detailed Project Reports, he added.
He said that the Buddhist site Sannati-Kanaganalli in Chitapur taluk of Kalaburagi district and other monuments in Bidar district required special and separate attention to tap their rich tourism potential.
The government also proposes to take up special tourism development projects at Nagavi in Chitapur taluk which once housed the ancient Nagavi University. The structure standing on 60 poles is still intact near Chitapur town, he said, adding that it would be linked to the monuments of Rashtrakuta empire scattered in and around Chitapur and Sedam taluks to create a “Rashtrakuta circuit.”
“…the famous Dargah Sharif of 14th Century Sufi Saint Khaja Banda Nawaz in Kalaburagi city is ancient and famous like Ajmer Dargah … but the Khaja Banda Nawaz Dargah did not get the importance or the projection that the Ajmer Dargah got,” Mr. Kharge said.
“We want to reverse this trend and bring the historic past of the region before the world,” he said.
Mr. Kharge said that there were also plans to develop an exclusive religious tourist circuit from Kudalasangama in Bagalkot to Basavakalyan in Bidar district.
Mr. Kharge said that the State government has drawn a comprehensive plan for the development of the famous Gulbarga Fort. Deputy Commissioner Ujwalkumar Ghosh has been asked to talk to the residents inside the fort premises and persuade them to vacate it, he said.
Mr. Kharge said that a complete audit of all the important tourist spots would be done.
