Snail’s pace for revamp works at Gandhi Hill

Vijayawada: Several renovation works at Gandhi Hill are facing inordinate delay. Initially, the works were scheduled to be completed by January 30, known as Gandhi Martyr’s Day.
The officials of tourism department said that tendering process took longer time than expected, thus delaying the initiation of the works. Currently, a lot of works are still in the initial stage. Durga Prasad, secretary of Gandhi Hill Foundation (GHF), said that works are going according to the plan, but it could take another three to four months to be completed.
“The entire library is being developed and reconstruction works are currently underway. The planetarium works are also being done below the hills and would be revamped completely,” Prasad said.
With a few dilapidated structures and deserted tourist destination, Gandhi Hill has been remaining in neglect for almost the last two decades.
Around Rs 5 crore was sanctioned by the tourism department in developing the planetarium, library and also for the first time in the country, a glow garden is going to come up on the hill, according to sources.
Previously, the plan was to develop only the planetarium for Rs 3.15 crore, but after several meetings with the GHF members, they have decided to scale it up.
Around Rs 10 lakh would be invested in building the glow garden.
Also, officials are looking to develop the library situated in the hill which was also neglected. Officials also explained that a walking track would be developed and that the library would be renovated.
Gandhi Hill has many firsts to its history, from being the second oldest planetarium after Kolkata’s Birla planetarium.