The Department of Archaeology and Museums has identified 25 archaeologically important sites in the three districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam for inclusion in the VUDA (Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority) Master Plan 2030.
The sites identified will be provided with basic amenities for tourists, roads, other infrastructure faculties.
The identification of archaeologically important sites in East Godavari district, which also comes under VUDA, will be done by the Kakinada-based Department of Archaeology and Museums.
Ancient Hindu temples, Buddhist heritage sites and Jain caves in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, a megalithic burial site, Chalukyan temples, war memorials, a Dutch building and a 17th century Jama Masjid were among the historical sites identified for inclusion in the Master Plan 2030.
“We have identified 25 heritage sites in the three north Andhra districts and we will submit the list to VUDA in the next few days,” Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums Chittibabu told The Hindu.
The district-wise sites identified are: Visakhapatnam – Appikonda temple.
The only shore temple dedicated to Lord Siva in AP, the group of three temples with five natural springs at Panchadharla near Elamanchili, the Buddhist heritage sites at Pavuralakonda, Thotlakonda and Bhavikonda, the temple of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Nrusimha Swamy at Simhachalam, the war memorial of Sri Krishna Deva Raya at Padmanabham and the pillar at Potnuru.
Vizianagaram – Ramatheertham, Neelavathi (Buddhist site), Jayathi temple, Eastern Chalukyan temple (20 km from Gajapathinagaram) and the Bobbili war memorial.
Srikakulam – Dutch building, Jama Masjid (17th century), Arasavilli and Sri Kurmam temples, Salihundam and Kalingapatnam (Buddhist sites) and Sri Mukhalingam temple.
The main objective of the whole exercise is to integrate the erstwhile Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region (VMR) and plans prepared with the extended VMR with the Master Plan for the Visakhapatnam-Kakinada PCPIR region.
