The coronavirus crisis has cast a shadow on the resumption of various tourism infrastructure development works including the budget hotel at Kothagudem and cottages at Kinnerasani reservoir near Palvancha, the works of which came to an abrupt halt several months ago due to shortage of funds.
The pandemic induced economic crisis is likely to affect the much delayed tourism promotion projects in the old undivided Khammam district. Works on construction of a glass house, nine cottages and a food court at the picturesque Kinnerasani reservoir site in Palvancha mandal have come to a standstill.
Development works worth ₹ 23 crore were taken up at the popular tourist site abutting the deer park in the wildlife sanctuary near the Kinnerasani dam more than three years ago under eco-tourism development project.
While the Centre has sanctioned ₹ 7 crore under the National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, the State government has allocated ₹ 16 crore for the tourism promotion projects. The twin projects were initiated during the tenure of the then Kothagudem MLA Jalagam Venkat Rao to transform the Kothagudem-Palvancha region into a major tourism hub. The ripple effects of the coronavirus pandemic are likely to further delay the completion of the two prestigious tourism promotion projects in the predominantly tribal populated district.
