Chandrababu Naidu lays stone for Avilala theme park

Tirupati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday laid the foundation stone for Sri Venkateswara Spiritual Theme Park at Avilala Cheruvu setting the stage for turning it into a major tourist attraction in Tirupati.

The Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had taken up the theme park development works on the instructions of the Chief Minister a year ago. As part of the project, the TTD has taken up construction of park for which bhumi puja was performed by Naidu.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 181.13 crore. It is proposed to develop an extent of 150 acres which is on the northern side of Chennai- Anantapur National Highway No 275. In the first phase, TTD would spend Rs 80 crore, in about nine months. The TTD engineering department to construct a compound wall for 3 km with ornamental features on the front and the rear sides.

It will lay access road from the national highway. An entrance plaza along with ticketing counters, green buffer zone, parking space for 496 two-wheelers, 390 cars and 64 buses, .7.2-m width service road along with 2.4-km cycle track and 2.4-km track for walkers on either side will come up.

TTD has planned to develop the internal green buffer zone, seven mounds and forests with greenery representing Seshachalam and its biodiversity.

The TTD is developing the water bodies with a 10-acre lake, water streams, waterfall, wet-land and nesting island which are bound to turn the tank into a centre of attraction for pilgrims as well as locals.

Rasivanam, Nakshatravanam, Navagrahavanam, several gardens are planned as part of spiritual theme. At the beginning a replica of Garuda vanam is proposed.

Parks with play courts and outdoor gym and experience path along the diagonal length of park from south-east corner to north-west corner to view most of the features of the theme park. TTD is going to provide public amenities too, which include drinking water, rest rooms at appropriate places, proper lighting and food courts.