Kondapalli Fort to beckon tourists on large-scale

Kondapalli: The thousand-year-old Kondapalli Fort is getting readied to beckon the tourists in large numbers with its modern amenities and visual attractions, said G Vani Mohan, Commissioner of State Archaeology and Museums here on Friday.

Addressing newspersons atop the Kondapalli Fort, the Commissioner said that the state-of-the-art augmented reality technology is being used to give a spectacular experience to the visitors.

The tourists could download Kondapalli Fort app in their smart phones to experience the augmented reality in which the mobile could be placed before the portrait of a king or a Kondapalli toy to listen to the narration. “This is the first of its kind in the South India to use such technology,” she said.

Referring to the renovation work undertaken at the age-old fort, Vani Mohan said that an experienced contractor has been given the work to restore the fort by using aloe vera, lime, harad and jute without using cement as per the norms of the archaeology department. “Well-trained labourers only could undertake such work,” she said.

A 30-minute 3-D projection show would be presented twice a day to reveal the history of the fort to the 300 to 400 tourists on the premises. On any given day at least 100 families are visiting the fort and during weekends, the number is touching 400 families. “Once the 3D projection shows are started thousands would throng the fort,” Vani Mohan said.

In addition, the Youth Services department is organising adventurous sports like rock climbing, trekking and rope climbing in which 2,500 youngsters from six countries and 16 States would take part during the festival which would be celebrated every year on February 3 and 4.Several other amenities including a food court, transport facility and others would be arranged for the tourists soon.