Telangana plans irrigation tourism
This unique concept is to make the people understand the significance of the irrigation projects taken up by the Telangana government in the past eight years to develop the state into an agricultural hub, apart from enjoying the scenic beauty surrounding these projects.
The Telangana government is planning an innovative initiative – irrigation tourism – to attract tourists from across the state to major irrigation projects that would be developed into major tourist spots.
This unique concept is to make the people understand the significance of the irrigation projects taken up by the Telangana government in the past eight years to develop the state into an agricultural hub, apart from enjoying the scenic beauty surrounding these projects.
In the past eight years, the state government has constructed several irrigation projects such as Kaleshwaram, India’s largest lift irrigation scheme with a massive canal system and a series of reservoirs like Annaram, Sundilla, Medigadda, Yellampally, Mid-Manair, Mallannasagar, Konda Pochamma, Ranganayaka Sagar and Baswapur.
“All of them are mighty reservoirs providing irrigation to over one crore acres of crops. At the same time, they are all located in a picturesque locations, which can be developed into major tourist destinations,” said state tourism minister V Srinivas Goud, while inaugurating a Travel and Tourism Fair in Hyderabad last week.
He said the concept to develop irrigation projects into tourist spots was ideated by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who asked the tourism department to create tourism infrastructure at these projects.
Telangana state tourism development corporation (TSTDC) managing director B Manohar Rao told Hindustan Times that the state government had allocated ₹750 crore in the state budget towards development of irrigation projects as tourist spots this year as part of eco-tourism circuit.
“We have already called for expression of interest from prominent developers of tourism projects to prepare detailed project reports on the irrigation tourism concept. We have recently short-listed a few firms, which would bid for the projects to develop tourist spots on the irrigation schemes, once we get clearance from the chief minister,” Rao said.
Apart from Kaleshwaram and its chain of reservoirs, the TSTDC is planning to develop tourist spots at existing irrigation projects like Kalvakurthy, Karivena, Sriramsagar, Ramappa, Devadula etc.
“We shall introduce water sports, boating, cruising, and adventure sports like paragliding, besides construction of cottages and development of landscapes in and around these reservoirs. Other infrastructure facilities like development of road network to these reservoirs, trekking facilities, suspension bridges over the reservoirs, musical fountains, glow gardens, sound and light shows etc. We shall also provide tourist guides facility,” the TSTDC managing director said.
The officials are considering setting up hotels, resorts, swimming pools, recreation clubs and food courts near the reservoirs. “We are also contemplating inviting film makers to do film shooting in these areas and we shall provide all facilities for them, if they come forward,” Rao said.
The state government has also made a proposal to the Centre to develop Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project as a major tourist attraction under the theme “Nature Tourism Circuit” as part of Swadesh Darshan Scheme. “The government is awaiting a positive response from the Centre,” he added.
