The well thought out community-based tourism promotion initiative to turn the scenic environs around the Palair reservoir, situated along the Khammam-Suryapet highway in Kusumanchi mandal, into a tourism hub seems to be fast losing steam.
The COVID-19-induced crisis dealt a blow to the District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC)’s ambitious plan to develop the picturesque area around the water body abutting the highway into a major recreational centre.
The community-based tourism initiative was launched by the DTPC a couple of years ago by roping in a group of local youth trained in operating the boat ride services under the aegis of the Palair Gram Panchayat.
The boating facility evoked good patronage from visitors in the initial few years prompting the authorities to draw up a grand plan to introduce more amenities at the roadside park and water sports activities in the reservoir.
But the pandemic-led lockdowns in the past year-and-a-half disrupted the plan much to the disappointment of the regular visitors as well as water sports enthusiasts.
The two tourism boats at the reservoir have been lying unused for the past few weeks, sources said.
District Tourism Officer Suman Chakravarthy said the reservoir area received heavy rains over the past few days bringing the boating services to a halt temporarily due to inclement weather.
The tourism promotion plans and related activities in the district are likely to be reviewed by the higher authorities at a meeting slated to be held next week, he told The Hindu, when contacted.
