Though the holiday season is round the corner, the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) in Adilabad looks far from accessible for eco-tourism enthusiasts.
There is no provision for online booking of TSTDC facilities at Jannaram, the headquarters of the Kawal Tiger Reserve (KTR) in this district. Accessing the facility over phone is also a difficult proposition.
The dismal occupancy rate of cottages at the Jannaram resort points to the TSTDC’s inefficiency in promoting eco-tourism at the destination, which is emerging a favourite of nature lovers, especially from urban centres. The occupancy rate of the dozen cottages this month is only 38 per cent, while it was 41 per cent in January and 51 per cent in December, 2014.
“We found out that the TSTDC runs a Haritha resort here at Jannaram only when we reached the place. Our trip earlier this month materialised only due to the help of the Forest Department,” reveals Humayun Taher, a member of the group from Birdwatcher Society of Andhra Pradesh (BSAP), Hyderabad, which visited KTR recently.
“The operators of the safari offered by the TSTDC are not professionals,” complains Ashwin Rao, a wildlife enthusiast from Hyderabad. He wanted the safari to be run on professional lines like it is done in other Tiger Reserves.
The TSTDC also runs an excellent restaurant at its Jannaram resort though there have been complaints about the quantity of food served. “We ordered meals for six but the quantity of curries was just not sufficient for us,” points out Nupur Sengupta, another BSAP member.
The plan to set up a workshop for Ojha tribal artisans at the resort complex has also not taken off. Delay has also been caused in the Haritha resort coming up at Kadem dam and the Nirmal Toys showroom near Kadthal village close to Nirmal town has not take off yet.
There is some good news for visitors as the Kadem resort is expected to open in a fortnight’s time, sources say. The cottages at Kadem, as in KTR, can also be booked on 76808-27292.
