Merger of 7 mandals with AP hits tourism plan

Tourist destinations such as Sriramagiri, Kolluru and Perantalapalli merged with AP.

The euphoria generated by the ambitious plan to develop a mega tourism circuit in the entire stretch of Papikondalu, the hill range widely acclaimed as Papi Hills, seems to have petered down following the "merger" of the V R Puram mandal along with six other mandals of the district with residuary Andhra Pradesh.

The famous tourist destinations such as Sriramagiri, Kolluru and Perantalapalli along the course of the Godavari, which constitute the tourist spots of the Papikondalu river cruise package, have been merged with the successor State of AP.

Uncertainty rules

The Integrated Tribal Development Agency, Bhadrachalam, in collaboration with the Tourism Department had devised an action plan to create tourist infrastructure facilities at these popular tourism hubs, nearly two years ago.

The plan envisaged active involvement of local Adivasis in the tourism promotion activities to augment their income. Some of the basic infrastructure facilities have already been created at Pochavaram, Kolluru and a few other places as part of the mega plan.

The virtual splitting of the Bhadrachalam division consequent to the transfer of the four mandals – V R Puram, Kunavaram and Chintur besides Bhadrachalam mandal (barring Bhadrachalam revenue village) to the successor State of AP has cast a shadow on other tourism promotion initiatives.

Theme park plan also hit

Another major initiative of the Department of Tourism to build a Ramayana theme park and a tribal haat in Bhadrachalam to promote temple tourism is also hanging in the balance due to the precarious situation prevailing in the division.

The previous government had earmarked 11 acres of land and allocated Rs 2 crore for the project in the temple town. Various other development plans aimed at constructing cottages and creating parking slots and other facilities for the benefit of the pilgrims in view of the next Godavari Pushkaralu slated for 2015 have also been held up in the temple town.

"We are awaiting instructions from the government on the future course of action with regard to the tourism promotion plans," says Suman Chakravarthi, district tourism officer, Khammam.