Buddhist centre to come up at Salihundam

SRIKAKULAM: As part of development of a Buddhist circuit, tourism officials have been constructing a Buddhist amenities centre at Salihundam in Gara mandal at a cost of Rs 2.27crore. Officials are planning to develop a tourists’ circuit by connecting the Buddhists’ monuments situated in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam districts. 

There are Buddhist monuments in Salihundam, Dantapuri, Kalingapatnam and Jagatimetta, Jonnam and Vanita mandalam and at a few places in the Srikakulam district. These will also be part of the to circuit. District Collector J Nivas has proposed an amenities centre at the foothills of the Salihundam Buddhist monument in Gara mandal. The centre will have an information centre, mini theatre, entrance arch, illumination at the monument and parking place, which is under construction. 

Speaking to TNIE, District Tourism Officer N Narayana Rao said the amenities centre is being constructed by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). Two restrooms are also being constructed at the amenities centre, he added. The history of the Salihundam monument will be showed to the tourists at the mini theatre prior to visiting the monument on the hilltop, he added. He also said a battery vehicle will be made available at the amenities centre to ferry tourists to the hilltop. 

Similarly, the tourists can obtain information of other tourists’ places in the district at the information counter at the amenities centre. The construction of the centre, which began in April last year at an estimated cost of `2.27 crore, would be ready by this month-end.