Plan to Make Gooty Fort More Attractive to Tourists
The 7th-century Gooty Fort requires a comprehensive restoration plan focusing on structural stabilisation, clearing encroachment, and developing tourism infrastructure.
Anantapur:Steps are being taken to rebuild the Gooty Fort after the state government promised to develop the historic hill.
Collector Anand initiated some steps based on proposals from Anantapur MP Ambika Lakshminarayana and others during the recently held Gooty Fort Utstavalu.
The 7th-century Gooty Fort requires a comprehensive restoration plan focusing on structural stabilisation, clearing encroachment, and developing tourism infrastructure.
During his recent visit, the collector noticed that there were no proper steps to reach the hilltop. The steps were curved by cutting them so as to give access for horses to climb up.
The collector said, “We would rectify this to ensure easy access for tourists to reach the fort”. An Archaeological Survey of India team has been advised to speed up the process for necessary clearances in this respect.
Meanwhile, the state government sanctioned `2.60 crore for the laying of a CC road by way of connectivity between NH 44 and the entry point of the hill. About 750 metres of road has been sanctioned and the works would soon be taken up soon, tourism officials said.
The laying of a road directly from NH 44, the Bangalore-Hyderabad road, would increase the tourist footfalls because of the hill’s close access from highway, it is felt.
Tourism officer Jayakumar told Deccan Chronicle that 69 cents of land from the tourism department was available at the entry point of the hill area. There, he proposed to construct rooms, toilets, etc. A hotel is also proposed at the entry point, as the tourists can purchase food while trekking to the hill of Gooty.
The infra-developmental activities and provision for basic amenities would boost the tourist flow. Visitors not only from AP but Karnataka and Telangana also reach the hills. Thousands of vehicles ply on the NH 44 road close to the hills every day.
In addition, a ropeway had been proposed seven years ago towards tourism development but the proposals remained confined to paper due to lack of any governmental initiative.