Andhra Pradesh govt. plans to develop heritage tourism circuit

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

The Andhra Pradesh state government intends to create a tourist circuit that will connect all of the state’s heritage sites in and around key cities, Times News Network reported.

Aside from giving top importance to the security and safety of these cultural sites through innovative monitoring techniques, the Archaeology and Museums department has been charged with digitising historic monument data in order to preserve them for future generations.

Vani Mohan, Commissioner of the Archaeology department, stated that technology is being used to conserve cultural sites while also attracting foreign tourists.

“We are presently digitalising 280 historic monuments and 14 museums across the state. AIbased audio visual explanation of monuments will help the visitors understand the historic significance of our heritage sites,” Times News Network quoted Vani as saying.

Swamy Naik, Assistant Director of Archaeology and Museums, stated that the department is working with schools and colleges to invite students to museums and archaeological sites to raise awareness of AP’s past.

The Kondapalli fort and the Undavalli caverns are two such locations near Vijayawada. The 14th century Kondapalli fort, erected by Prolaya Vema Reddy of the Reddy dynasty, shows the region’s architectural and historical significance. The British later erected a military training centre there.

The Antiquities and Museums department spent Rs 20 crore on the development of Kondapalli fort and created an AI-based system that explains the monuments in the fort when a QR code is scanned. The fort has a daily digital mapping laser projection presentation that explains its history, the first of its type in south India.

The Undavalli caverns, about 10 kilometres from Vijayawada, are an outstanding example of Indian rock-cut architecture. The caves originate from the Vishnu Kundina era (420-620 CE). The Archaeological Survey of India protects the 29m-long four-story temple of Ananta Padmanabha Swamy there.

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