Conservation authorities of Kolleru Lake are engaged in preparation of an exclusive plan for developing tourism circuit, covering must-watch locations of the lake both in West Godavari and Krishna districts.
The State government has asked the Wildlife Management Division (WMD), Eluru, under the aegis of Chief Conservator of Forests S. Sreedhar, to prepare the circuit plan. The tourism project is the only joint project of West Godavari and Krishna districts, which was promised by the State government recently. The identified circuit area would cover Gudivakalanka tourism resort in West Godavari to Kolletikota villages and Atapaka Birds’ Sanctuary in Krishna district.
It includes boating on the blue waters of the lake, visit to a pilgrimage spot – Peddintlamma temple in Kolletikota villages – and bus journey to Atapaka, a border of these two districts. “Given the geographical area of the lake, a Ramsar Conservation Site, the circuit will promise the visitor to have a glimpse of the most scenic beautiful locations of the lake. However, the final draft is likely to be completed within three weeks,” Chief Conservator of Forests, WMD, Eluru S. Sreedhar told The Hindu .
As the number of migratory birds to the Kolleru Lake has been going up year-by-year, the tourism circuit would soon arguably tempt the bird lovers and researchers. “There is a scope to improve boating facilities in some strategic locations, apart from existing boating facility at Atapaka, one of the prime attractions of the lake in winter,” added Mr. Sreedhar.
While nature lovers are after enjoying the great number of resident and migratory bird species, a section of visitors throngs the lake to have darshan of Peddintlamma, a deity of local communities. The WMD authorities told The Hindu that one-day is enough to cover the entire circuit before returning to Gudivakalanka, where tourists can plan to stay at the resorts.