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- By Ushasri Ummadi
To say that tourism has reached a zenith and has done wonders for the city would definitely not be an understatement. The city has never looked better! Cleaner roads, greener patches, better parks, more attractions like the NTR Park etc are making even the wary Hyderabadi step out in the evenings and spend some time in the outdoors.
The change is there for everybody to witness. And it comes as no surprise that Andhra Pradesh is one of the leading in the Domestic Sector and stands third in South in the All India Tourism Arrivals. But behind the laurels lie great efforts, hard work, proper planning, implementation and maintenance by the State Government and the whole Tourism Department.
The State Government has focused their attention on this much-neglected sector and given the much-needed boost to the tourism industry by way of incentives, privatising existing tourist attractions, developing infrastructure and appointing various consultants. What was a mere Rs 1 crore budget prior to 1998-99 now has a Rs 45 crore budget for the flourishing tourism industry.
Mr. Kishan Rao, the Director of the AP Tourism says, "There has been a lot of activity in the tourism sector from 1999 onwards." Speaking about the department's current and future projects, he said that the department is putting in all their efforts and working on various projects simultaneously.
Pedestranisation of roads near Charminar, beautification of Charminar, improvement of Laad Bazaar and Patherghati, lighting of old heritage buildings, Shilpa Kala Vedika (multi-purpose auditorium) at Shilparamam are the projects been handled by Mr. Kishan Rao's department right now. Speaking about the Charminar pedestranisation scheme Mr. Kishan Rao said, "It is a very important scheme for the monument." The implementation depends on the widening of the roads to divert traffic from all routes in Old City. "It is not an easy task. There are so many things involved - like the narrow lanes, land acquisition, dismantling, relaying of roads and resistance from owners. Various religious structures are also involved," he added.
Shilpakala Vedika, the multi-purpose auditorium at Shilparamam inaugurated by The Governor, Chief Minister, and various others on June 15th was another major project. It is a majestic masterpiece of traditional architecture worth Rs 19 crores. Designed to merge harmoniously with the ethnic ambience of Shilparamam and built in ethnic style, the auditorium with its facilities will be host to many a festival, cultural or otherwise, in the future.
With many other projects in the planning stages Mr. Kishan Rao is raring to go. It is because of people like him that the city and state are attracting many a tourists now. We wish him all the best in the ongoing process.
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