Heritage tag to Lepakshi: APTDC forms team

Vijayawada: The AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) formed a coordination committee with officials of various departments to work on getting World Heritage Site tag for Lepakshi temple.

APTDC chairman A Varaprasad Reddy told media persons here on Thursday that Unesco identified Lepakshi temple to add in tentative list for World Heritage tag. He said a coordination committee was formed with officials of AP Tourism, archaeology, revenue, municipal administration, R&B and finance to work on several issues, including preparation of detailed project report (DPR), preparation of nomination dossiers for inscriptions, coordination with Unesco officials in Delhi and Paris headquarters.

The chairman said as part of the move, the APTDC short-listed a consultant, APPFCS Limited, an empanelled consultant of YAT&C (youth advancement, tourism and culture) department, for undertaking the required consultancy services on turnkey basis as per the resolutions of board meeting of APTDC on March 17.

Varaprasada Reddy said the panel of heritage experts and advisors associated with APPFCS include Dr Siva Nagi Reddy, CEO, Pleach India Foundation, Buddhist expert consultant, Budhavanam, Ch Babji Rao, deputy superintending archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India, Bujang Ramrao Bobade, director, Heritage Foundation, Jalgaon, Maharashtra, Birad Rajaram Yajnik, trustee, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, Curator, Mahatma Gandhi Digital Museums, Hyderabad and Madhu Vutturi, conservation achitect.

The APTDC chairman said the entire team has to conduct 85 studies to get permanent world heritage status for Lepakshi. He said the team has to submit a report on various studies to Unesco office, Delhi and head quarters at Paris. The entire process takes two years time, he added.

The chairman said the preparation of detailed project report takes two months time. The DPR includes reports on existing situation analysis at Lepakshi temple, tangible and intangible heritage resources review on Lepakshi heritage site in consultation with heritage and conservation experts.

Meanwhile, minister for tourism Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao expressed happiness over inclusion of Lepakshi in Unesco world heritage tentative list.