HYDERABAD: It has been one-and-a-half years since Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao visited Rachakonda Fort, a heritage site in Nalgonda district. The Chief Minister had promised to develop a film city, sports city, entertainment city and education city conforming to international standards, during his visit to the fort on December 14, 2014.
There were plans to bring greenfield industries and lay six-lane roads from both Ibrahimpatnam and Chotuuppal to Rachakonda. But, 18 months on, there is not a pucca road leading to the heritage site.
“You will not even get a chai bandi in Rachakonda,” said M Rajaiah Yadav, a tea shop owner in Tippaiguda village, just 2 km from the fort. There are no signboards on the road leading to the fort to indicate that this is the historic fort built during the intermediate period of collapse of Kakatiya rule and rise of Bahmani Sultanate.
The ancient cave paintings that are unique to the Deccan culture, are in a state of utter neglect and there are no efforts to preserve the paintings.
Students from a local college, who cleaned the fort as part of their social service camp, have painted their names on the walls of the fort entrance.
There was a hue and cry to protect the heritage site, which stands as a living proof of Telangana’s rich history. But the grand plans remain non-starters and the only visitors to the fort are some revelers from the neighbourhood and lovebirds seeking a secluded place.
They do leave behind memories - black polythene bags and pieces of broken glass - which stands testament to the neglect.Even as a langur limbs down the rocks towards a dry lake, the priest of the temple rings the bell, just to confirm that it is the only building within the fort walls frequented by humans.
“We had heard of some development works, but you can see yourself the condition of this fort. This fort, despite its rich history, does not figure in the Telangana tourism map,” said B Narsaiah, a resident of Rachakonda village.
Asked about plans of the state government to protect the fort, Telangana Tourism department replied in the negative. “We do not have any plans to protect Rachakonda Fort this year but may take up works next year if we get orders,” said Telangana Tourism department director Om Prakash.