Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

New-look Durgam Cheruvu beckons tourists

By M.L. Melly Maitreyi

The crescent-shaped amphitheatre on the eastern hillock of the Durgam Cheruvu in the backdrop of serene ambience.

HYDERABAD DEC. 10. Looking for a natural and serene ambience for those open air get-togethers, or a quiet evening for a family outing? One no longer need to go to outskirts. It is there right in the midst of Jubilee Hills.

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has come up with a new facility for open air celebrations and events amidst the rocky terrain on the eastern side of Durgam Cheruvu. The landscaped eastern hillock with a cascading waterfall, a pond and sculptors' park with terracotta, stone and metal art works has been designed for a different plane of entertainment. An unstructured garden groove, landscaping that does not interfere with the natural ambience adds to the charm.

The place has been recently added with an amphitheatre - Crescent -- with the capacity to seat 1,300 people on the stone benches, a deck with a catering facility that comes with a massive well-equipped kitchen in the underground and a little further away a snack bar amidst natural settings that merges with the rocky terrain.

Towards Madhapur, the recreational facilities developed by it including boating, angling and a bar and restaurant, have made the place a popular getaway. APTDC officials say that the newly developed venue would cater to specific requirements of different segments.

It was the APTDC's initiative that led to the Durgam Cheruvu Lake Conservation and Resort Development Project in 1998. Once the bund was fenced to stop encroachments, the next task was to conserve rocks and highlight their beauty with soft illumination that brought out the rugged beauty of rocks. Then landscaping of the entire area was incorporated in the scheme and an area of 23 acres, 21 acres in Sheikpet village and two acres in Madhapur village, was acquired three years ago.

The work on landscaping began with an initial budget of Rs. 50 lakhs. So far about Rs. 2 crores has been spent on Durgam Cheruvu lake resort including the latest facilities added on the eastern hillock.

The APTDC CMD, C.Anjaneya Reddy, says the amphitheatre, Deck would be ideal for promoting major tourism shows, events, concerts as the venue has all facilities amidst natural settings. The place could be hired for organising a variety of events -- cultural events, music concerts, events to be organised by companies and corporates, and tourism-related events.

And for couples and families preferring to relax in serene surroundings, there is a separate walkway, landscape and a snack bar that they can access even when the deck and crescent are hired for an event.

"In the two-weeks since the place has been thrown open, three parties have been organised by corporates for their employees and groups, while six organisations have booked the premises for their events.'' The Save Rocks Society is organising its annual concert on December 25. Negotiations are on for more events, says Manager, Marketing M. Ravi Babu. The latest project of APTDC is sure keeping its cash registers ringing.

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