Crores spent, but facelift eludes Kittur

BELAGAVI: Kittur, a town where Rani Chennamma waged a war against the British, figures among one of the most neglected tourist spots in Karnataka with officials squandering crores of rupees on the pretext of turning the historic town into a beautiful tourist destination.

Once in a year, the town gets spruced up for 'Kitturotsava' but never attracts tourists as per expectations till the next festival. Reason: the government has failed to draw up a concrete action plan to develop the fort and its surroundings despite Kittur Development Authority (KDA) being in place. Funds released for development of historic spots in Kittur and other areas where Rani Chennamma resided, including Kakti and Bailhongal, are not utilised judiciously as the authorities concerned failed to come up with specific proposals to be launched in Kittur town.

According to official sources, KDA spent about Rs 12 crores over the last eight years but could not provide a proper facelift to the historic town. Work on the entrance leading to the fort has been moving at a snail's pace and maintenance of the fort's interiors has been dismal. Much to the disappointment of tourists, the tourism department has not displayed information on boards or banners on historical importance of Kittur and its queen in the premises of the fort. In order to attract tourists to the fort at night, the tourism department launched a sound-and-light facility in 2011 but subsequently failed to ensure either sound or light in the fort. Several tourists have complained about regular power failure that prevents them from entering the fort at night.

According to sources, the local authorities have recommended appointment of local experts to KDA in order to ensure a planned growth of the town but the government has not responded so far.