‘Wi-Fi will boost tourism but harm Borra Caves in long run’

VISAKHAPATNAM: Geological and environment experts have criticised the state tourism department’s recent decision to make Wi-Fi available at Borra Caves.
They pointed out that usage of internet by thousands of visitors regularly and radio waves from the cell towers in the long run will adversely effect the fragile limestone topography and fauna living within the ancient caves.
Experts had earlier raised concern about the railway track running atop the Borra Caves and had suggested diverting the railway line . They feared that vibrations caused by the movement of trains will destroy the limestone terrain and, interestingly, in August 2013, some boulders had fallen from the caves.
According to the state tourism department officials, the Borra Caves is visited by 3,000-3,500 people daily on an average and the number of tourists are increasing. “There has been nearly 10% rise in footfall in the last one year,” said Prasad Reddy, divisional manager of AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). Citing reasons for installing three Wi-Fi zones inside and outside Borra Caves, Reddy said, “Nowadays, almost everyone uses internet on their phones. They can click and upload pictures of the tourist spots. Free Wi-Fi facility will draw more tourists to these place.”
However, experts differ. “Wi-Fi is not at all required inside the cave, where a visitor usually spends one-two hours at maximum. Encouraged by the availability of free Wi-Fi, groups of tourists, especially youngsters, will be clicking selfies and group photos by climbing atop the fragile stalagmite columns and rocks that will damage these geological structure,” averred Prof M Jagannadha Rao from Andhra University, department of geology.
“Activities such as eating, using bright digital lights for photography, scribbling grafitti on the walls, climbing on the rocks and stones, shooting films, using heavy machinery inside such natural heritage should not be allowed. The rail track running overhead the cave should also be diverted, otherwise due to regular vibrations caused by the passage of trains, cracks or micro fractures can develop, widen and eventually cause subsidence of the cave,” he added.
Prof P V V Prasada Rao, head of the department of environmental sciences at AU and former member of AP Pollution Control Appellate Authority, said, “There won’t be any impact overnight, but in the long run, radiation from cell towers may harm the limestone structure. Moreover, acoustic radiation can adversely impact the life existing inside the caves, such as bats and some nocturnal birds.”
The Borra Caves in Ananthagiri mandal near Araku, houses Pre-Cambrian era rocks. The cave, with its limestone structures of stalactites and stalagmites were, however, formed in the tertiary period. While some of these have joined to form columns or pillars holding up the ancient cave, other limestone formations have taken various shapes, some resembling mythological figures and those of animals.