HYDERABAD: Improved road access to some of Telangana’s most visited temples and heritage sites is expected to give a major fillip to tourism in the state’s northern districts, with the Union Cabinet approving the four-laning of key stretches of National Highways 63 and 563.
The projects, spanning 190.76 km with a combined investment of `7,597.16 crore, are expected to make travel faster and safer for lakhs of pilgrims visiting Vemulawada Rajarajeshwara Swamy temple, Kondagattu Anjaneya Swamy temple, Dharmapuri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple and Kaleshwaram Mukteswara Swamy temple, besides improving access to the historic Nagunur Fort.
Officials said the upgraded highways would make it easier for visitors to cover multiple destinations in a single trip, while improving the overall travel experience.
“The upgraded corridors will significantly improve connectivity to important religious and heritage destinations. Shorter travel times and safer roads are expected to encourage more visitors, especially during festival seasons when these temples receive heavy pilgrim traffic,” tourism department director L Ranjit Naik told TNIE.
The Armoor-Jagtial-Mancherial stretch of NH-63 will be widened under the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), while the Jagtial-Karimnagar section of NH-563 will be developed under the Build-Operate-Transfer (Toll) model.
Tourism officials believe the improved connectivity could help establish a stronger pilgrimage circuit linking Vemulawada, Kondagattu, Dharmapuri and Kaleshwaram, enabling tourists to visit multiple destinations in a single trip instead of making separate journeys.
“Road infrastructure plays an important role in tourism growth. Improved accessibility encourages visitors to spend more time exploring nearby attractions, benefiting not only temples but also heritage sites and local tourism,” Naik said.
The projects are also expected to boost businesses dependent on tourist traffic. Hotels, restaurants, transport operators, guides, small traders and local artisans are likely to benefit as travel becomes more convenient.
Officials said improved connectivity could also promote lesser-known attractions such as Nagunur Fort, encouraging travellers to explore destinations beyond the state’s established pilgrimage centres.
