Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation in efforts to explore state's glorious falls

HYDERABAD: Waterfalls in the forest areas of north Telangana have regained their glory after heavy rains. But trekkers are unable to explore the serene beauty of cascading falls and the green glory of forests as most of the waterfalls are inaccessible.

Though Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) had plans to promote monsoon tourism, offering tour packages to waterfalls in Adilabad and Nizamabad districts, the plans fell flat as there were no proper roads to the destinations.

For example, Kuntala waterfalls near Nirmal in Adilabad district is the only waterfall in the list that TSTDC provides in its tour package to northern Telangana.

A senior official in the TSTDC told Express that despite ambitious plans to promote monsoon tourism by including unexplored waterfalls in northern Telangana such as Kanakai and Gayatri near Nirmal in tour packages, they were unable to launch the tour packages.  “Trekkers can go there but we cannot put the lives of tourists to risk and make them walk through dense forests to visit the waterfalls in northern Telangana,” the official said.

As the waterfalls are yet to be developed as tourist hotspots, only a few enthusiasts visit them during weekends.

“We went to Gayatri waterfall last week. Vehicles could go only upto Mokhram from where we had to walk for three hours to explore the beauty of the waterfall and its vicinity,” said N Sairam, an MNC employee in Gachibowli. “My family thought we could spend a night at Sirnapally, only to find that it was a small village without much facility to stay there. We were dismayed and after making way through the waterfall, we came back to Hyderabad. Staying in that beautiful village would have been exciting,”said T Mohan, a private sector employee from Miyapur.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/Bad-roads-hamper-tourism-departments-efforts-to-explore-states-glorious-falls/2016/07/24/article3544644.ece

Sania Mirza, Brand Ambassador of Telangana State, inaugurates American Aluminum Catamaran Pontoon Boat at Hussain Sagar Lake Boating Unit, in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation has launched two new catamaran yachts for the Hussain Sagar Lake in Hyderabad in the presence of tennis star and brand ambassador for Telangana Sania Mirza.

The new catamaran boats have been procured from the US and will be available to ferry the public from today at the picturesque Hussain Sagar lake. The boats can accommodate 12-15 members per trip with a charge of ₹100 per person.

TSTDC has also launched party packages priced at ₹2,000 per hour at these luxury boats. The party packages will begin post 8:30 pm and can be availed up to 12:00 am. The boats will not only provide a luxurious ambience to tourists but also have a lower seating which is closer to the water during the ride.

The tourism arm of the State owns a water fleet of about 95, including small and big boats.

The corporation operates leisure based cruises and water sports at different lakes and rivers of the State, parasailing activity at Hussain Sagar.

Sania Mirza said, “I had a wonderful experience through the ride which brought back the memories of my childhood. The Telangana Tourism Corporation is very proactive in not only assessing the needs of the tourists but also introducing exciting opportunities for the local crowd.”

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/national/telangana-tourism-introduces-luxury-catamaran-yacht-rides-on-hussain-sagar/article8305134.ece

Telangana State Introduce helicopter joyrides over Hyderabad

Hyderabad: In a huge boost to the Telangana tourism, the government has given the permission to two aviations companies to offer helicopter rider over the city.

The two aviation companies – Atom Aviation Services and Indwell Aviation Services will start off the rides on March 12 and will continue till March 23. Officials from the cultural affairs department of Telangana, have confirmed the news on Wednesday.

The officials have also confirmed that the Indwell Aviation Services introduced helicopter service during the Medaram Jatara in Warangal district.

While a 15-minute joy ride on a Bell 407 six-seater will cost Rs. 3000 per head, hiring a Bell 407 four-seater for an hour will cost Rs. 73,000 and a six seater for an hour will cost around Rs. 95, 000.

The helicopters which will take off from Gachibowli Stadium and Peoples Plaza in Necklace road, will fly at a height of 1,500 feat over important locations in the city including Birla Mandir, Buddha statue, Necklace Road, Falaknuma Palace and Ramoji Film City among a few others.

MEDARAM JATARA 2016 - How to reach from telangana state

Medaram

Medaram is a tiny village, located in Warangal district of Telangana state. Population of this village is less than 3000 and there are only 700 house holds. This beautiful village is well known for the biennial religious congregation called 'Samakka Sarakka Jatra'. This three days congregation is considered second largest in India after Kumbha Mela. Usually starts at the full moon day. During this jatra, this small village is flooded with millions of devotees and tourist makes this village pomp and gaiety. Medaram is located around 120 km from Warangal and 140 km from Hyderabad, state capital.

Origin of this congregation is unknown, but there are several folk stories available about this jatra. It is believed Jatra was started during 13th century. Samakka and Sarakka are female embodiments, people believe that their prayers will be fulfilled by attending this Jatra. The whole Medaram village will be lit up and devotees will continue to throng. Several government and private vehicles will be busy in transporting countless of people. It is one of the greatest event in Telangana state and also big in ASIA.

How to reach Medaram

By Air
Hyderabad airport is the nearest one, located 140 km from Hyderabad.

By Train
Warangal railway station is the nearest one. Frequent trains are arranged during this congregation.

By Road
Numerous private and state owned buses are available to Warangal and from warangal many local buses, taxi, autos are available. During Jatra, straight buses are specially arranged for devotees and tourists by the Telangana state government.

Weather
Average temperatuer is ranging from 26  ° c to 35 ° c. October to February is the best time to visit, especially during Jatra.


MEDARAM JATARA 2016

Medaram jathara celebrates on alternate years . This  year 2016 it is starts on  Feb 8 and ends Feb 11.more than  one crore people from than five states are expected to visit this place during this month.

TSRTC operating buses from various parts of the State for medaram Jatara.

 How to reach

Tsrtc Busses and many private travel runs from Warangal city.First  travel 72 Km from warangal to pasra and medaram is 21 km from pasra.

People coming  from adilabad,karimnagar and nizamabad should first travel to kamalapur cross road ate boopalpally after travel through gollabuddaram,dudhekulapalli,Bakkayyapeta,Narlapur to reach medaram.

People coming from Madhya Pradesh , Chattisgarh States and khammam District  will first reach eturnagaram Mandal and cross  singaram, kannai gudem, gangaram then cross Godavari river at Devadula.

People from Bastar district , odishha border  and badrachalam should first visit mangapeta in warangal district then by national highy way reach to Medaram.

Kazipet and warangal are the near by railways stations that connects medarm and other States by Rail Route.

Please to see While coming

Laknavaram lake

On Thadawai warangal road  one can visit Laknavaram lake.Hanging bridge is major attraction here.






Ramappa temple

On Thadawai to  warangal road ,   14 km from jangal palli crposs one can visit Ramappa Temple. Famous for wonderful kakatiyas  temple carvings on stones.

Warangal city

There are many tousrist places to see inside warangal City .Thousand pillar temple(veyi stambala gudi), bhadrakali temple and Kakatiya fort  are must see places

Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation(TSTDC) has partnered with budget aggregator OYO Rooms

MUMBAI: In a bid to boost business at his hotels, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation(TSTDC) has partnered with budget aggregator OYO Rooms to market the hotels listed with the tourism department.

"We will be running end-to-end operations and will be generating demand for these properties. Moreover, with this partnership we will gain access to some of Telangana's best hotels and help promote tourism in the state," Anuj Tejpal, chief business development officer at OYO Rooms said in a press statement.

The tie up will help boost occupancy TSTDC's Haritha properties and also increase the accessibility of their hotels. The OYO app will host details of the listed hotels which will allow travelers to discover and book these hotels on the go.

Under this bilateral partnership, OYO Rooms will also audit the properties and will provide customer feedback to the tourism department. A pan-India campaign to promote tourism in Telangana will also be done as a part of this partnership.

Softbank Group-backed OYO Rooms currently operates in 126 Indian cities including Delhi, Gurgaon, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Chennai, Kolkata and others. OYO Rooms partners small and standalone hotels in the country and helps them improve their service quality standards before offering their rooms on its website.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/49550731.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

Telangana State has set its eyes on promoting eco, tribal and spiritual tourism in a big way

Telangana Government plans to tap the potential for eco, tribal and spiritual tourism in the State; Centre to fund three major tourist circuits with Rs. 250 crore.

A year after bifurcation, Telangana State has set its eyes on promoting eco, tribal and spiritual tourism in a big way, apart from showcasing the rich heritage and culture of Hyderabad.

Keen on using to the hilt the Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD schemes of Ministry of Tourism, the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) has identified Mahabubnagar and Warangal districts for development of three major theme-based tourism circuits.

As part of eco-tourism, it has sent proposals to the Centre to develop Somasila-Akka Mahadevi Caves-Uma Maheswaram temple-Mannanur-Farahabad-Mallelatheertham-Srisailam circuit in a big way. Somasila-Srisailam stretch offers tourists the chance to gain real-time experience through river cruise on the Krishna amid the lush green tropical forests, scenic waterfalls, exotic wildlife, and amazing caves besides picturesque hillocks in Mahabubnagar district.

The eco-tourism circuit would be divided into two sub-circuits with one covering the river cruise beginning at Somasila  and touching Akka Mahadevi Caves – Srisailam. It would be a four-hour river cruise. The second sub-circuit starts from Akka Mahadevi Caves and covers Farahabad -Mallelatheertham - Mannanur - Uma Maheswaram temple. The total cost of the project is Rs. 127.27 crore, of which the share of the Ministry of Tourism is Rs. 118.74 crore and State is pitching in with Rs. 8.53 crore.

Second largest city Warangal

The second largest city in Telangana, Warangal would be promoted in a big way into ‘Heritage and Spiritual City’. The district as a whole is being tapped to make it a tourist-friendly destination. Plans are on the anvil to promote spiritual tourism circuit covering Kolanupaka, Jangaon, Palakurthi temple, Bammera, Ghanpur, Mettu Gutta, Eka Veera, Inavolu, Bhadrakali, Padmakshi and Palampet temples and the lake. The total project cost is Rs. 61.63 crore, of which the Centre would contribute Rs. 60.76 crore.

Telangana Tourism has also zeroed in on tribal tourism circuit of Mulugu -Laknavaram - Medaram - Tadvai - Eturnagaram, which has thick forest, ethnic culture with their festivities. Lakhnavaram is already a tourist paradise because of the manmade lake with a hanging bridge. The stretch is already considered a potential tourist zone as it traverses dense Eturunagaram forest ranges, wildlife areas, agriculture landscapes and pristine tribal areas. This project would cost Rs. 96.61 crore.

Eco-tourism circuit

Somasila riverside development/temple – shaded pathway from river to the temple

Water tower/viewpoint

Water sports

Somasila temple – Open air theatre, theme garden with fountains

Singotam temple – Illumination of Laxmi temple and the hill

Akka Mahadevi Caves – Trekking path from Akka Mahadevi to Vanam

Uma Maheswaram temple – Base camp for trekking facility

Mannanur – Wayside amenities

Farahabad – Water tower, viewpoint, tented accommodation, and eco trail such as hiking and trekking

Mallelatheertham – Waterfalls, eco-friendly cottages

Heritage and spiritual tourism circuit

Warangal city, once the capital of Kakatiya dynasty (12th-14th century), is sophisticated and modern, reflecting the grandeur of the Kakatiya dynasty, showcasing their rich architectural inclination and styles

The city has immense potential to become a prominent heritage and spiritual destination, with its splendid temples and memorable historic monuments depicting the glorious cultural heritage

Temples to have meditation centre, interpretation centre, auditorium, public convenience open air theatre, tourist facilitation centre, and guest house

Tribal tourism circuit

Mulugu – Multi-cuisine food courts and souvenir shops, wayside amenities

River front development, Eturunagaram – Amphi theatre, tribal cottages, and tented accommodation

Lakhnavaram – Amusement park, upgradation of jetty, cottages, and skill development centre

Shortcomings

A majority of tourism destinations in the region offers inadequate facilities for tourists. The region is already attracting lakhs of tourists every year and there is scope for attracting more if the infrastructure gaps such as access roads, jetties, visitor lounges, information centres, washrooms, and parkingare addressed.

Quotes

“In the last one year, Telangana has attracted Rs. 200 crore worth of tourism projects. This year it would go up to Rs. 300 crore.”

B.P. Acharya,

Principal Secretary, Tourism

“Warangal city and the district has high potential to emerge a perfect tourist destination in near future.”

Peravaram Ramulu,

Chairman, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/big-plans-on-tourism/article7522190.ece

Locations for film shootings with support from the Telangan State tourism department

HYDERABAD: Minister of cinematography  Talasani Srinivas Yadav has directed officials of his department to give all required permissions under a single-window system for the film industry.

Reviewing the arrangements for the 19th Children’s Film Festival at a meeting held at the Secretariat here on Tuesday, he said the state government was ready to provide required help to set up a film institute in the city on the lines of those in Pune and Chennai. Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao also wanted a one film institute established in the city, he said. Yadav also asked officials to identify suitable locations for film shootings with support from the tourism department.

He called upon the film industry to support the flagship programmes of the state including Mission Kakatiya, Water Grid and Grama Jyothi. With regard to the 19th International Children’s Film Festival to be held in the city from November 14 to 20, the minister asked officials to constitute sub-committees to make arrangements.

The event will be inaugurated at Telugu Lalitakala Toranam in the Public Gardens. He wanted a building for organising Indian Children’s Film Festival constructed and asked officials to work for it.

The International Children’s Festival will also be conducted in Nizamabad, Warangal and Karimnagar.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/telangana/Single-window-nod-for-Film-Industry-in-TS/2015/08/26/article2993913.ece