The explore new horizons in tourism development plans afoot to explore mine tourism in telangana

Kothagudem (Khammam): In a bid to explore new horizons in tourism development in the region, a plan is on the anvil to develop abandoned mines as a tourist destination on the lines of Eco Mine Tourism project between the Saoner and Gondegaon mines initiated by the Western Coalfields Ltd (WCL) near Nagpur in Maharashtra.

Under this proposed project, a few coal mines of the state-owned Singareni Company Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) will be developed into eco parks besides throwing them open for public. It’s like an industrial tour, the engineering students undertake to gain hands-on experience related to their academic field. In similar lines, the mine tourism will give an opportunity for a layman to learn how the mining operations are carried in an underground mine and as well as in an opencast mine.     

“The project is expected to take a shape in about a couple of months,” Kothagudem MLA Jalagam Venkat Rao, who is pursuing the matter with the Singareni management, told The Hans India.  This would give a huge fillip to tourism development in the region in addition to captivating beauty of the Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary, dam and boating facility, Rao, who is instrumental behind many initiatives in the coal town Kothagudem, said.    

District Tourism Officer Suman Chakravarthy said: “Mine tourism has a lot of potential as it could provide a life time experience to tourists with the authorities providing them all the gear that a miner equips with before venturing inside an underground mine.”


http://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Telangana/2016-08-28/Plans-afoot-to-explore-mine-tourism-in-Telangana/250868

The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation Krishna Pushkarams chairman Pervaram Ramulu

The Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) will be operating eight special package tours for the convenience of devotees attending Krishna Pushkarams, said its corporation chairman Pervaram Ramulu.

The tour packages, operated using Volvo, AC Hitech and non-AC Hitech coaches, will serve the pilgrims from Hyderabad, Warangal, Adilabad, Karimangar and Nizamabad to perform pushkar baths at Beechpalli, Alampur, Somasila, Nagarjunasagar and Vijayawada from August 12 to 23.

Mr. Ramulu, speaking to newsmen here on Sunday, said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will visit Alampur in Mahabubnagar district on August 11 and 12 perform prayers at Jogulamba Temple, which is the one among the 18 shakti peethams in the country to formally launch the pushkaram celebrations.

In connection with it, the Tourism Development Corporation will commission a twin deck cruise boat at Nagarjunasagar on August 3. The boat, costing Rs 1.7 crore, with a total seating capacity of 100 passengers consists of a lower deck with 40 seats and AC restaurant while the upper deck has 60 seats.

Three floating jetties were constructed for the purpose of operating the cruise boat. It will be operated from Pushkar Ghat to Nagarjunakonda Museum at Nagarjunasagar where food courts are also being set up.

The TSTDC district manager K. Nathan, deputy executive engineer L. Samuel, assistant executive engineer N. Ramakrishna and Hotel Haritha Kakatiya in-charge J. Suresh were present.


http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/tours-for-krishna-pushkarams/article8927118.ece

KCR visit to Krishna ghat near Alampur

Even as thousands of people are at work across the vast expanse of this district, a small but dedicated group of people drawn from different departments are silently making arrangements for Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his family to take a ‘Pushkar dip’ here, early on August 12.

The ghat that is being developed here is 9 k.m from the mandal headquarters of Alampur and the location is said to be close to the confluence of the River Tungabhadra with the River Krishna.

Alampur is significant because of the temple with Goddess Jogulamba as the presiding deity and is one of the five ‘Shaktipeeths’.

Stay at Alampur

According to the tentative schedule, it is understood that Mr. Rao, accompanied by at least two dozen of his family members will reach the Haritha guesthouse of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation in Alampur before sunset of August 11 (Thursday).

After a darshan of Goddess Jogulamba at the temple, he will sit through a cultural programme by the Tirumala-Tirupati Devasthanams.

He will halt for the night at ‘Haritha’ and come here at 4.30 a.m. take a ‘Pushkar dip’ at the ghat at 5 a.m. on Friday, that marks the beginning of the 12 day-long ‘Krishna Pushkarams’.

After his dip, he will then perform in pooja at this ghat at 5.15 a.m. and leave here for the Jogulamba Temple at 6 a.m.

He will spend over an hour at the Temple and offer special prayers to Goddess Jogulamba before flying back to the State Capital.

Considering the fact that such a large number of VIPs coming here including Mr. Rao’s relatives, almost the entire State Cabinet and others will be descending on this location and will be in and around Alampur, and the police is chalking out elaborate bandobust.

When contacted, Mahabubnagar District Collector T.K Sreedevi and Superintendent of Police Rema Rajeswari said that they were indeed making all the necessary arrangements.

Ms. Sreedevi told The Hindu that in the long-term, the objective behind developing this ghat was also to ease the load on other popular ghats like the one at Beechpally.

Unlike most of the Krishna Pushkaram Ghats now being developed, the one at Beechpally is preferred by many as a location where ashes of the departed are mixed in the water all the year round by people.


http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-telangana/work-apace-for-kcrs-visit-to-krishna-ghat-near-alampur/article8951084.ece

The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation boat to tourists from Nagarjunasagar to Nagarjunakonda

In what was a first after the State’s formation, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation kicked off its own twin-deck boat to ferry tourists from Nagarjunasagar to Nagarjunakonda, the Buddist site on Wednesday afternoon.

The 100-seater, Rs. 1.78 crore boat, that has the capacity 40 people in the air-conditioned comfort of the restaurant down below and 60 more on the open, upper deck was flagged off by Ministers Ajmeera Chandulal (Tourism) and G. Jagadheeshwar Reddy (Energy) in the presence of a host of dignitaries including MP G. Sukhender Reddy and the corporation Chairman Pervaram Ramulu. As the boat chugged off the dock amidst cheer, Mr. Chandulal pointed out that with the gap left by the new State not having a boat of its own, tourists were dependent on the boats run by Andhra Pradesh since Telangana was formed on June 2, 2014. Very soon, he said smaller boats would be pressed into service to take tourists on shorter rides.


http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/tstdc-launches-boat-ride-to-nagarjunakonda/article8940560.ece

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.