Jurala Project

Jurala Project

This place is located about 60 Kms away from Mahaboobnagar District Headquarters in between Athmakur and Gadwal. Rail Transport facility is available up to Gadwal and from there one has to travel 20 Kms to reach the project. River Krishna enters the state of Andhra Pradesh through Mahaboobnagar District. There are many irrigation and hydro electric projects, which were constructed across River Krishna in the state of Andhra Pradesh but Jurala Project is first one among them. Mr. Tanguturi Anjaiah, the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh has laid the foundation stone and named it as Priyadarshini Project. In 1996, the then Chief Minister Sri Nara Chandrababu Naidu devoted this project to the Nation. This project was constructed near Nandi Malla Village of Atmakur Mandal. The length of this project is one kilometer. The height of this project is 27.80 meters. The left and right canals of this project are supplying water to thousands of acres of Agriculture lands and also drinking water to many villages and towns. Presently, power is being generated through "Priyadarshini Jurala Hydro Electric Project" with the cooperation of Karnataka state. This is only Hydro Electric Project in the state, which would have water throughout the year.

2) National Importance

The destination has good national importance. The flow of tourists is there from Karnataka and Maharashtra.

3) Location and Reach

Road: The pilgrims, who travel from Hyderabad to Tirupati can get down at through Yerravalli X Road on NH-7. The distance from Gadwal to the destination is 14 km (via Peddapadu). The pilgrims can also visit the destination via Chinna Chintharevula and the distance from Gadwal via Chinna Chintharevula is 13 km. The distance from Mahabubnagar via Amarachintha Atmakur is about 70 km and the distance from Raichur via Dharoor & Mannapur to the destination is about 44 km.

Rail: The nearest Railway Station is located at Gadwal, which is about 14 km away from the destination

Air: The nearest Airport located at Shamshabad (Hyderabad), which is about 140 km from the destination.

4) Jurisdiction of the Destination

The destination is under the control and management of Major Irrigation Department of Government of Andhra Pradesh.

5) Road Condition

60' BT Road is available from Gadwal to the destination with good condition. 60' BT Road is available from Mahabubnagar to Mulamalla, then 30' BT Road up to a distance of 4 km, after that 60' BT Road is available to the destination with good condition. There is also good access from Raichur and 60' BT Road is available to the destination from Raichur.

6) Present Status of Tourist Attractions around the Destination

The following are the main tourist attractions available at the proposed destination.

Ø A Hydro Project is located at the destination, which is good attraction to the tourists

Ø Deer Park is available at a distance of 1 ½ km from the destination with about 100 deers

Ø Ramalayam Temple is located in the Project Colony

Ø Parthasaradhi Temple is located near to the destination

Ø Korakoda GattuTemple and ChintharevulaTemple are very near to the proposed destination

Ø All the destinations/temples proposed for heritage circuit in Mahabubnagar district

Justification for Tourist Flow

The logic behind the estimation of future visitors' flow is that there is huge potential to attract the visitors. The rationale is as follows.

Ø After erection of GENCO Project (Hydro Project), tourist flow has been increasing abnormally

Ø Students flow to this destination to know/create awareness on GENCO Project is high and are arranged by the surrounded colleges in the district

Ø There is no other place for the surrounding people to visit for relaxation except this destination

Ø The Jurala Project is a big size project compared to other projects. Fishermen catch the fish regularly and some of the tourists visit this destination to observe the fishing activity

Ø The management of the project is keen and planning to create awareness about the destination

Ø Pleasant environment at the destination

Ø Income levels of surrounding places have been increasing

Ø On week-ends, during summer/winter vacations, and when project outflow gates are opened, the tourists flow to the destination is very high

Ø Increasing number of tourists from Karnataka and Maharashtra States

Ø The average growth of visitors flow is increasing on an average of 25% - 30%. Apart from this, if the Tourism Department provides infrastructure and promotional facilitates to the tourists, that can add another 20% -30%.

9) Special Days of Attraction and Visitors Flow

It revealed from the field survey that the visitors prefer the following days in general.

· Week-ends (Saturdays & Sundays) and Public Holidays - Tourist flow is very high

· Festival Days - Tourist flow is very high

· Vacations (like Summer Vacation and Winter Vacation) & when the outflow gates are opened - Tourist flow is very high

The students' flow of engineering & other courses is high to this destination. The other irrigation projects viz., Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam Projects are located at far away places and cost of the transport to these destinations is high when compared to the proposed destination.

10) Income Profile of Visitors

The approximate income profile of visitors to the destination is as below:

Lower Income People : 30%

Middle Income People : 50%

Higher Income People : 20%

The villagers, who are residing around the destination are belongs to almost middle and lower income group, who generally visit the destination along with family members to spend some time at the destination and the expenditure involved to visit this destination is cheap as the transport is low. This tourists get multi-benefits as recreational and educational from the visit of this destination.

11) Purpose of Visit

Almost all the visitors visit this destination for recreational and educational purpose. Some of pilgrims also visit this destination while they are visiting the temples located surrounding to this destination.

12) Origin of Tourists

The approximate percentage of tourists and places from where the tourists visited the destination are as follows.

Ø 55% from surrounded towns/places viz., Gadwal, Alampur, Devarakadara, Makthal, Narayanpet, Mahabubnagar, Hyderabad, etc

Ø 20% from other districts of AP other than Mahabubnagar district

Ø 20% from Karnataka

Ø 5% from Maharashtra

13) Mode of Transport

Due to more convenience of bus journey from Gadwal, Atmakur and other surrounded places, majority of the visitors visit this destination by bus. Many sharing autos are available from Gadwal, Atmakur, Dharoor and other surrounded places in addition to APSRTC Buses. Visitors are also visiting by jeeps from Raichur on sharing basis. It is estimated that about 60% comes through buses, 20% by autos or shared autos; and the balance 20% by way of tourist buses, own vehicles, rail and other mode of transport.

14) Frequency of Visits

It found that 30-40% of the visitors are new persons and visited the destination first time after knowing the importance of the destination. About 60-70% of the pilgrims have been repeating the visit to the destination at least once in a year friends and relatives.

15) Group Size

The visitors have been coming to the destination along with their family members and relatives & friends as a group. The group size consists of 5 to 10 persons in general. The approximate group size consists of 10 -15 persons by 4-wheeler (jeep); 30-60 persons by tourist buses; 20-30 persons by tractors.

16) Accommodation Facilities

There is one guest house available under the control of Major Irrigation Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh but it is allotted to VIPs and is not available for general public. At Gadwal, good lodging & boarding facilities are available and tourists can avail the facilities.

17) Food & Beverages Facilities

There are three dhaba type hotels are available at the destination and these provide meals, tiffin, tea/coffee, snacks, etc to the tourists.

18) Illumination Facilities

Illumination facilities along the dam bridge available but at the proposed site where tourism infrastructure is proposed, there are no illumination facilities available for the tourists.

19) Sewerage and Public Toilets

There is no drainage system exist for the irrigation project. No urinal/public toilet block is also available at the destination.

20) Water Facilities

The authority is not providing/supplying the drinking water to the tourists at the destination.

21) Banking/ATM Facilities

Indian Bank is available at Revulapalli, which is nearby to this destination. ATM facility is available at Gadwal and also almost all the nationalised banks are opened their branches in Gadwal.

22) Emergency Health Facility

RMP doctors available in Revulapalli. Homoeopathic Primary Health Centre run by Government is available at Chinna Chintharevula, which is 2 km away from the destination. all types of MBBS, MS and other diagnostic facilities are available at Gadwal.

23) Cleanness

The authority is maintaining cleanness at the dam site to some extent.

24) Landscaping and Park Maintenance

The management is not maintaining any landscaping at the destination. There is a very good scope for landscaping and very much needed as this destination has good scope for recreation and relaxation purposes. There are also no proper sitting facilities.

25) Safety/Security of Tourists

There are about 600 employees are working in GENCO (Hydro Project), which is part of this destination. Project Staff have been staying at the project site and one Police Station is located at Revulapalli. The staff of GENCO along with the villagers' cooperation can safeguard/guide the tourists on safety measures. There are no threats and robberies occurred at the destination.

26) Guide Services

There is no tourist guide available at the destination. Some of the staff members may explain about the GENCO Project and the Dam depending their convenience and interest.

27) Wayside Amenities

Availability of support services like puncture, air, loose petrol, etc available at Revulapalli, near to the destination. Major repairs, car rentals, etc are available at Gadwal.

28) Communication Facilities

It noticed that almost all mobile phones receive signals at the destination. PCO facility is also available at the destination in addition to land line facility.

29) Marketing Facilities (Information Centre, Destination Boards, Direction Boards, etc)

The management is not publishing any pamphlets, brochures, etc about the destination and is not creating any awareness among the tourists/general public. The authority has not established any destination/direction boards.

30) Shopping Facilities

No shopping facilities are available at the destination. Visitors can do shopping either at Gadwal, where all type of shopping facilities available.

31) Local Transport

A good number of sharing autos are available from Gadwal, Atmakur, Dharur, etc to this destination and are operating every day.

32) Parking Facilities

Visitors are parking their vehicles at the project site as per their convenience. There is no separate provision for parking for the tourists.