BHUPALPALLY: The heritage city of Warangal, located about 150 km from Hyderabad, is seen as a tourist’s delight with its hills and rock formations. Home to architectural wonders built during the Kakatiya rule such as the Warangal Fort, Thousand Pillar temple and Ramappa temple, it’s well worth a day trip from the capital city of Hyderabad.
But if one were to travel another 55 km from Warangal, towards a village named Kothapally in Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, a breathtaking sight lies in store — Pandavula Gutta. Rock climbing, prehistoric cave paintings of wild animals, forest treks, night camping and cycling are some of the major attractions at Pandavula Gutta or Pandavulakonda, site which was discovered in 1990.
District and forest officials are now planning to further enhance the beauty of this geographically beautiful site by developing a biodiversity park. This would include a botanical garden, butterfly park, hot air balloon, and pedal boating facility for tourists. Forest and tourism officials are preparing a detail project report (DPR) for the same. The prehistoric paintings at Pandavula Gutta draw a large number of people not just from within Telangana but from neighbouring States as well. Students and working professionals with families find a trip to Pandavula Gutta great weekend getaway for adventures.
According to tourism officials, district collector and chairman of District Tourism Development Council (DTPC), Mohammad Abdul Azeem and Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Warangal circle, MJ Akbar and District Forest Officer (DFO) K Purushotam inspected Pandavula Gutta. They held a review meeting and a power point presentation on developing facilities at the proposed biodiversity park. Funds would be sourced from Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA).
Speaking to Express, Eco-Tourism Manager for erstwhile Warangal district Kalyanapu Suman said there is a lake spread over 10 hectares at the back of Pandavula Gutta. This is where the boating facility would be introduced. “In most south Indian tourism spots, there are no hot air balloons. If we start this facility at Panduvala Gutta, it would be the first in the south and will attract more tourists,” Suman says. Suman explains that said the DPR is being prepared on the suggestion of the district collector. “We are waiting for the District Tourism Development Council (DTPC) meeting to submit the DPR. The report will be sent to the State government after that,” explains Suman.
Officials opine that the setting up of a biodiversity park in the Warangal hillock would not only enhance its beauty, but also help it recover from the lockdown-induced lull and attract at least 30,000 tourists on weekends
Visitors to Pandavula Gutta come from Hyderabad and other parts of Telangana, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh as well as many from up north. The foreign tourists are mainly from Singapore, Netherlands and the US.
20,000 tourists used to visit the hillock on weekends before the Covid-induced lockdown
55 km away from Warangal, Pandavula Gutta is famous for rock climbing, forest treks and night camping