BENGALURU: Chikkaballapur district in-charge minister Dr K Sudhakar on Thursday announced plans to develop Nandi Hills as an international tourist destination. Speaking to the media on the sidelines of his visit to the hillock, he said the destination has natural and historic significance and qualifies to be developed as an international tourist destination.
He said there is a demand from people for a ropeway, which will also be a part of the plan. He admitted that though an international agency had earlier agreed for the project, it was later dropped. Around 10 acres of land will be allotted in the foothills to convert as a parking area. The work will be completed in three-four months, Sudhakar said.
However, the plan has not gone down well with theatre personality Arundathi Nag, wife of late actor-director Shankar Nag, who had first made the proposal to the state government. Arundathi said it would be better to leave Nandi Hills as it is in view of the environmental issues.She suggested that the government instead declare a 2km circumference of Nandi Hills as a green zone where no works should be permitted. “In my wisdom today, and I am sure Shankar would have also agreed, the project should now be shelved as it is not like in other places where two mountains are connected. Here it is from the foothills to the hilltop,” she added.
T K Anil Kumar, Secretary, Tourism department, said the government had already sanctioned Rs 10 crore to take up works like improving the parking and other civil works. He added that a study for the ropeway project had been done and the preliminary report was before the government for clearance.A senior horticulture department official said the government is identifying land in Hegdehalli village at the foothills from where the ropeway will start and will end at the entry gate on the hillock.
Forest department officials are not keen on the project and they state that many trees en route will have to be compromised upon. They said it was for the same reason why the proposal was shelved earlier also. Trekking to the five hills surrounding Nandi Hills, eco-tourism, conservation of archaeological monuments, beautification and infrastructure development will be done in the coming days, Sudhakar said.
The traffic to the site is increasing manifold and there is no regulated tourism at present.