Ballari: The country’s premier hospitality groups are eyeing the UNESCO world heritage site-Hampi because of its growing popularity as a wildlife and upbeat tourism’ destination apart from boasting of the world-famed monuments of the 15th century Vijayanagar empire.
Daroji sloth bear sanctuary, the river otter’s sanctuary in the backwaters of river Tungabhadra and the serene hillocks in Anegundi are the important added attractions for tourists who visit Hampi for seeing the gigantic monuments. This cluster of tourist destinations has now attracted the country’s top hoteliers who want to establish plush properties much to the concern of historians and naturalists.
Vijayashree Heritage Villa ge, Indo-Asia groups Hampi Heritage Resort and state-owned Karadi Café Jungle resort are the plush resorts already serving high-end tourists visiting Hampi, whi
le the construction of Hampi theme-resort by Orange County group near Papinayakanahalli is in the final stages. According to locals, Mumbai-based Oberoi group has chosen land near Bhukkasagar and Prestige group at Papinayakanahalli for construction of a star hotel and resort.
After Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitly announced plans to develop Hampi as a national project with huge flow of funds in his budget speech, real estate business is thriving in the vicinity of Hampi. In this backdrop, realtors are offering Rs 20 to 30 lakhs per acre if farmers are ready to sell agriculture land close to Hampi. According to tourism department sources, after Agra, Hampi registers the second highest number of footfalls in the country. “Hampi attracts over 1.5 million visitors in a year, majority of them are foreigners. If developed, it's likely to overtake Agra”, said an official source.
Though, there is an UNESCO approved Master Plan for Hampi, it is alleged that realtors in nexus with politicians and bureaucrats have been getting approvals from HWHAMA to convert agriculture land into non-agriculture land.
Concerned about the sanctions being granted by Hampi World Heritage Area Management Authority (HWHAMA) to various realtors to convert agriculture land into non-agriculture land in the World Heritage Site, authorities of Archeological Surv ey of India (ASI), Hampi Mini Circle said that HWHAMA must ensure that any development activity planned in the heritage site should not go against the guidelines in the UNESCO approved Integrated Master Plan.
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