Nellore tourism spots to get facelift

Pulicat Lake, the Nelapattu Birds sanctuary, the Kandaleru reservoir, Nellore tank bund, the Kothakoduru and Mypadu beaches, Ramatheertham temple and beach, Iskapalli beach, Udayagiri Fort and Krishnapatnam cruise terminal. B V Palem, Irakkam and Venadu Islands, Atakanitippa are part of Pulicat Lake area would be improved

• Union Government had sanctioned `60 cr for 11 projects under Swadesh Darshan scheme to Nellore as part of Coastal Tourism Circuit
• Nellore Project is one among projects similar to Krishna Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, and North-East Circuit

Nellore: Andhra Pradesh government is giving facelift to various tourism destinations in the district to improve revenue for state exchequer. Eleven tourism projects under Swadesh Darshan programme would be taken up as part of Coastal Tourism Circuit with Rs 60.38 cr for which the Centre had sanctioned the funds for these strategic locations.

District Collector M Janaki said they were taking measures to improve tourism. Out of 11 projects sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan scheme, total projects have been approved for Nellore district and said the process has been hastened for fast completion.

The Union Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned around Rs 60 crore under Swadesh Darshan Scheme responding to proposals of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) worth Rs 100 cr for the project, said a senior official from the tourism department.

“Nellore region is located since it is connected to Chennai, Tirupati and Bengaluru cities and the proposed Industrial Smart City under Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor will also help in attracting a large number of visitors to the district,” said the senior official.

In fact, the Swadesh Darshan programme is an integrated development of tourist circuits and the Coastal Tourism Circuit for Nellore is one of the five circuits selected under this scheme along with Krishna Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, and North-East Circuit. Consequently, the mega project would pave the way for beautification of the coastline.

Pulicat Lake, the Nelapattu Birds sanctuary, the Kandaleru reservoir, Nellore tank bund, the Kothakoduru and Mypadu beaches, Ramatheertham temple and beach, Iskapalli beach, Udayagiri Fort and Krishnapatnam cruise terminal. B V Palem, Irakkam and Venadu Islands, Atakanitippa are part of Pulicat Lake area come under the project for the facelift.

Nellore region is having a beautiful coastline with picturesque beaches, destinations of heritage and cultural significance and the Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lake in India where the flamingos are nature’s gift to attract thousands of sightseers. The Union government had officially announced sanctioning the projects on Dec 4 for some projects at Varadayyapalem in Chittoor district and also in Nellore district.

Officials are planning to inaugurate campus of Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management at Golagamudi in Venkatachalam mandal that constructed with Rs. 25 cr and any of the project sanctioned for Nellore under Coastal Tourism Circuit formally either by the Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu or by the Central Tourism minister along with Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Jan 2, said an official from the tourism department.

By P V Prasad