Warangal: Hopes rekindled for tourism economy

Warangal: The tourism buzz that has gone eerie quiet for the last one-and-a-half-year seems to be back in the erstwhile Warangal district.

There are quite a few historical temples like Ramappa which is vying for a place in the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, and Medaram Sammakka-Saralamma, and laidback destinations such as Bogatha waterfalls, Laknavaram lake etc in the region that have been witnessing a lull with the tourists opting to stay back indoors due to coronavirus pandemic.

Since the lifting of lockdown a few days ago, the authorities have allowed tourists to visit Ramappa, Medaram and Bogatha waterfalls etc.

"The people who have been confined to their homes all through the lockdown are slowly setting out to laidback destinations. Although the tourist footfall is not equal to that of a peak season comparatively, their number is cheerfully encouraging.

The onset of southwest monsoon may not be vigorous, but Bogatha waterfalls started to receive rainwater crisscrossing the neighbouring Chhattisgarh," Kalyanapu Suman, Ecotourism Manager, Warangal, TSTDC, told The Hans India. Ensuring the safety of tourists in view of Covid-19, he said that they have been sanitising all the Haritha Hotels and Resorts regularly.

Meanwhile, it's learnt that Haritha Hotels at Mullakatta (near Bogatha), Gattamma and Mallur temples and new cottages in the second island of Laknavaram are ready for inauguration.

Ramappa Temple Site Guide Gorantla Vijay Kumar said, "The footfall of tourists fell drastically ever since coronavirus made its entry into the country. Barring December 2020 and January 2021, visitors seldom turned to Ramappa.

A good chunk of tourists visited the temple last Sunday, and we hope it may increase considerably." Further, he hoped that it will give a fillip to the economy of the people who are dependent on the tourism sector in the region.

On the other hand, devotees started to make their way to Medaram, the abode of tribal deities Sammakka-Saralamma, Mukteeshwara Swamy temple in Kaleshwaram, the confluence of rivers Godavari, Pranahita and Saraswathi, and Hemachala Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple at Mallur to offer their obeisance.