Sircilla set to become nature lovers hub, the government is making plans to develop

Rajanna-Sircilla: Who doesn't like boating with family members and staying a night or two in the boat besides enjoying the beauty of the nature? Nature lovers can now head to Ramappa Hills and Mid Manair Dam (MMD) in the Rajanna-Sircilla district to unwind themselves and feel at ease.

As the water level in Sri Rajeshwara Project (Mid Manair Dam) reached the capacity of about 22 tmcft (against its full tank level of 25 tmcft) and with the release of Godavari water by lifting from Lakshmipur pump house under Kaleshwaram project, the water from MMD started reaching the nearby channels and canals and water bodies present in between Vemulawada and Sircilla towns giving a pleasant look to the passers-by.

Covering around 20 kilometres, the water from MMD reached the Thangallapalli and Shabashpalli bridges in Sircilla town, flowing through the Ramappa Hills present between the Vemulawada and Sircilla towns. The beautiful scenes along with the swelling water canals have been attracting people not only from surrounding areas but also from distant regions.

It may be recalled here that IT Minister and Sircilla MLA KT Rama Rao held a meeting recently with the officials of Rajanna-Sircilla district in Hyderabad and directed them to prepare a detailed project report for developing the district into a tourist destination.

He ordered them to acquire 200 acres of land for transforming the region into a tourist hub and urban lung space for the construction of swinging ladder in between the Ramappa Hills, Haritha Hotel and a guest house on the hills, besides cottages and villas at the bottom of the hills along with establishment of gardens for recreation purpose and parks for children besides establishing house boats.

District Collector D Krishna Bhaskar along with Zilla Parishad Chairperson N Aruna visited the Ramappa Hills and inspected the region. The Collector told that the IT Minister was determined to develop the region into a weekend tourist destination. The place above the hills was suitable for construction of specious guest house and at the bottom of hills, several cottages and villas could be constructed. The government is also planning to introduce boating facilities in the MMD, he added.

Accompanied by NCPE Infrastructure consultants Subhani and Jameel, the Collector on Saturday inspected the MMD, Ramappa Hills and the temple situated on the hills besides the Shabashpalli bridge which is under construction in Sircilla town.

The NCPE consultants told the Collector that along with developing the region into a tourist hub, boating facility and water sports could also be held in MMD waters.

They informed the Collector that the guest house could be constructed on Ramappa Hills for getting a total view of water flow besides construction of cottages, villas and hotels at the bottom of the hills and also establishing gardens and parks for children.

The Collector, speaking on the occasion, said that after preparing the complete Detailed Project Report, the proposal would be submitted to the IT Minister KT Rama Rao and taking his suggestions and guidance, necessary steps would be taken for transforming the region into a tourist hub.

The Rural Development Officer Srinivas Rao told, "As per the orders issued by the IT Minister, we are identifying about 150 to 200 acres of land to acquire in the surrounding areas of Karakatta and Ramappa Hills to convert the region into urban lung space by establishing gardens and parks in about 50 to 100 acres of land and in the remaining 100 acres of land, the construction of guest house, cottages, hotels and villas will be taken up."