BALLARI: "See Sandur in September" was said by none other than Mahatma Gandhi when he visited Sandur in 1934. He called his place an oasis. The Sandur taluk in Ballari district which is famous for mining is also a potential tourism hot spot. Now the district administration is all set to prepare a blueprint to develop the site as the tourism destination of Ballari district.
During monsoon, the hillocks in Sandur shine with lush green cover and brimming water bodies add beauty to this site. Last week, district in-charge minister B Sriramulu visited important locations and hillocks in Sandur and instructed the administration to line up tourism developmental works.
The Narihalla lake in Sandur is already a favourite destination of nature lovers and trekkers. The administration is planning to provide facilities to help tourism picks up.
Speaking with The New Indian Express, minister B Sriramulu Sandur has a natural beauty and needs to be improved as a tourism destination in the Kalyana Karnataka region. "I visited a few sites in Sandur recently with the senior officials from the administration. I have been instructed to bring in basic facilities such as drinking water kiosks, toilets and an information centre for the tourists. There will also be stay facilities for the visiting tourists," he said.
The administration officials pointed out that it will be the first time Sandur will have homestays. "We are involving locals to provide stay and boarding for the visitors. The minister has instructed us to prepare a blueprint to develop the region for tourism. The Sandur hills are best visited during monsoons and winters," said the official.
"It's been a long-pending demand to improve tourism facilities in Sandur," pointed out Karthik K, a resident of Sandur. "Despite mining, there are numbers of sites which have remained undisturbed in Sandur. The administration must make use of these sites where tourism can be developed," he said.