Warangal: Access woes haunt tourists

Warangal: Waiting is excruciating especially when someone is out to spend a weekend on a jolly good note in the laidback locales. The erstwhile Warangal district has many exquisite destinations including Ramappa temple which was recently added to the elite list of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites, 1000 Pillars Temple, Laknavaram Lake, Bogatha Waterfalls etc. However, it's not all that easy for the elders, children and tourists with health issues to visit Laknavaram Lake and Bogatha Waterfalls and bask in the moment.

Tourists will have to walk more than a kilometer to drench in the beauty of Bogatha waterfalls. Making it to Bogatha waterfalls is a testimony to one's physical fitness. The situation is no different to those turning to Laknavaram Lake. It's understandable that the authorities are not allowing the tourists' vehicles close to the waterfall and the lake as they are located in the lap of nature.

Although authorities arranged battery-run vehicles in these destinations, it's said that they are either defunct or not available to the tourists. It's alleged that these vehicles are being used by forest officials instead of ferrying the tourists. Even on normal days, tourists turn to these destinations in hundreds of vehicles. The tourist footfall is even more on weekends and public holidays. The other major problem associated with these places is lack of parking space. According to a senior official, land is a huge constraint to develop a parking zone as these destinations are located in the reserve forest. The official said that efforts are on to procure a piece of land from the locals for the parking zone.

"If we visit Laknavaram on a holiday, it's a herculean task to find a parking space. The lined-up four wheelers take us further down and away from the lake. From there, it's a tiring walk to the suspension bridge. Of course the scenic beauty of the lake will let you forget all that exertion.

But it's a serious problem for the senior citizens to complete the ordeal. This apart, the road-cum-bund is narrow. It's difficult for the bus drivers to negotiate," JVS Akhil Yadav, a software engineer, who recently visited the lake, told The Hans India. He also complained about the amenities at the lake.

Pandavula Gutta in Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district is another scenic location and ideal for adventurous sports. Forget about snacks or food courts, tourists don't even get drinking water here.

"Even though these destinations are adding a fillip to the local economy, the authorities are turning a blind eye to address the lacunas in tourism development activities," Manganuri Murali of Prakash Studios, established in 1965, who frequents these locations for pre-wedding shoots.