VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed over the projects being undertaken by AP Tourism, Culture and Heritage Board on Thursday and directed the officials to turn Andhra Pradesh as a prime tourist destination. During the meeting, the officials informed the Chief Minister about the progress of various tourism projects including Racecar Resort in Anantapur, conservation of Kondapalli Fort, Grand Theater/Cultural Complex at Pavitra Sangam, water sports policy, laser show with musical fountain and zoom car launch in Tirupati.
A luxury resort with a 3.2 km racing track and an automotive theme park will be set up in Kodapalli, Anantapur. The resort will come up at a cost `149 crore and provide employment to 360 people. Spread across 245 acres, the resort expected to attract tourists from Bangaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. The project overview included a 3 star resort, a 5-hole golf course and driving range, a sports complex and a helipad.
Conservation of Kondapalli Fort
Representatives from Dronah presented a detailed plan to conserve the fort and its surroundings, which includes a proposal to showcase it as a heritage destination with a museum-cum-exhibition area of international standards.The fort occupies 400 acres of land. However, the project will be limited to 8 acres. The Chief Minister suggested them to develop a master plan for reviving and protecting the surrounding 400 acre reserved forest land. They also said that they will take extra steps to popularize Kondapalli dolls. The demonstration project, which cost about `4 crore, will include conservation, restaurant area, , public amenities, light and sound show and augmented reality.