Three years have gone by, but the Tourism Department’s much-hyped project — cottages facility at Lambasingi, a major tourist attraction in Visakhapatnam district— is yet to be completed.
A few months before the start of the season, Tourism Minister M. Srinivasa Rao had reviewed the projects and promised to get works at Lambasingi completed by November or December 2019. Though the tourism season has come to an end, 25 to 30 % works are still pending.
Divisional Manager, APTDC, Visakhapatnam Region, T.G. Prasada Reddy said works were halted due to funding reasons.
Families wary
“Landscaping, electrical works in rooms and a few others are pending. If funds are released, it will take around one and a half month to complete them,” said Mr. Reddy. “We are providing tents for tourists which have evoked a good response,” he added.
On the flipside, only youth, especially college-going students, are patronising tents.
Families by and large are avoiding them as they do not find the stay comfortable. Moreover, they find the tariff — ₹1,500 per tent — prohibitively high.
“It is a serious problem if we come with families, especially women and the elderly,” said Pavan Kumar of Rajamahendravaram, who visited Lambasingi, a week ago.
Lambasingi located in Chintapalle mandal, which is also known as Lammasingi, receives thousands of nature-lovers from in and around Andhra Pradesh every winter for its picturesque valleys and single-digit temperatures.
The village shot to fame in December 2012, when it recorded zero degree Celsius for the first time.
However, lack of proper accommodation is forcing tourists to confine their stay to a few hours. Several tourists go for a night stay by offering money to local residents.