Gol Gumbaz: Get elevated to the heights!

Belagavi: A huge tourism draw, it has suffered years of neglect. But now, if everything goes according to plan, the historic Gol Gumbaz could soon have a lift to carry people to its gallery among other much needed facilities

Medium and Large Scale Industries Minister, R V Deshpande revealed in Vijayapura on Wednesday that the government would shortly consult the Archaeological Suvery of India on installing the facility in the  monument to particularly help the elderly, who currently find it difficult to climb the steep staircase to its gallery.

Recalling that the government had recently provided three battery-operated vehicles to carry tourists around the Golgumbaz,  he promised to equip it with more such facilities for the convenience of tourists visiting it.

The minister also announced that the government intended to set aside Rs 10 crore for providing basic amenities like a Yatri Nivas for tourists visiting places of  historic interest in the city, and  promised to give the monuments themselves  a facelift as well.

Revealing that the government had recently appointed as many as 450 guides well versed in English, Hindi and Kannada at different tourists spots in the state, he claimed work was also underway  to develop roads in and around places of tourism interest. Funds had been released for road work in Vijayapura city too, he added.