VIJAYAWADA: Gandhi Hill, which has been subjected to gross negligence for years, is finally set to be renovated. Despite the distinction of being the first memorial built on a hillock in the country, the Gandhi Hill has failed to get prominence due to poor maintenance and lack of basic facilities. But with the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) gearing up to start the renovation work this month, Gandhi Hill is likely to become a popular tourist destination.
“Gandhi Hill has good potential to be developed into a tourist spot as it has a planetarium, toy train, library and a park. But it remained neglected due to lack of maintenance and various other reasons. Now that the government has sanctioned `3.01 crore for renovation works, it will regain its prominence soon,” N Babu Prakash, executive engineer of APTDC said.
The renovation work also includes a new two-tier parking lot, landscaping, refurbishing of the toy train, lighting, upgrading the library with new books and rare collections of Gandhi, and providing clean toilets. Another highlight is scaling up of the planetarium on the lines of the Birla Planetarium. Indeed, the Hyderabad-based planetarium has been entrusted with the responsibility of upgrading the Gandhi Hill Planetarium. The new one will have the latest microscopes, binoculars, telescopes and special sky shows in different languages.
“We wanted to get into planetarium, but the organisers said that the show not will be organised now. When inquired as to when it will start, they did not even give a proper reply. We came here after learning much about it, but there is nothing here. Even the library is not kept properly,” a visitor complained. Complaints pour in not just from the visitors but also tourism officials. For a place which has been utterly neglected over the years, renovation will certainly give it a new lease of life.
REVIVAL STEPS
APTDC spending Rs 3.01 cr for renovating the neglected tourist spot
Gandhi Hill Planetarium to be installed with latest microscopes, binoculars, telescopes and special sky shows in different languages
New two-tier parking for visitors, landscaping, refurbishing of toy train, lighting, upgradation of library with new/rare collections of Gandhi, and clean toilets planned