Two Buddhist Tourism Circuits to be Developed

VIJAYAWADA:The TDP government proposes to develop two mega Buddhist tourism circuits in the state, covering 21 of the 50 prominent Buddhist heritage sites in eight districts of AP, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,500 cr.

Disclosing this while inaugurating a 5-day exhibition of paintings and sculptures on the life and preachings of Gautam Buddha at the Akriti Art Gallery here Monday, collector Babu A said that a proposal in this regard, prepared by the Andhra Pradesh Project Facilitators & Consultancy Services Limited, had been submitted to the central government for approval and the same was awaited. The collector further said: “Many precious monuments and tourist places in the region have been neglected so far. To revive the neglected sites, especially in the Vijayawada-Machilipatnam tourism circuit, the government appointed KPMG India as a consultant and it has submitted a proposal for the development of the tourism circuit. It focused on the Buddhist, Dutch and French monuments that have been abandoned in and around Machilipatnam.”