Rayagada: People are no longer calling it ‘Landa Pahada’ or the bare hill. It has now been christened as ‘Prem Pahad’, the ‘hill of love’ and it has already regained over one third of its greenery.
In fact, this ‘hill of love’ is one of those 35 places in the district which have been recommended by the administration to the Tourism Department for tourist spot status.
In order to protect the hill and convert it into a tourist spot, the district administration renamed it as ‘Prem Pahad’ and took some initiatives. The then Collector Guha Punam Tapas Kumar also had submitted a proposal, with a budget outlay of rupees four crore, to the Tourism Department for its beautification.
In first and second phases rupees one crore and Rs 2.18 crore were released March 3, 2017 and January 12, 2018 respectively. Currently, beautification work is on.
According to district tourist officer in-charge Surendra Lima, the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is in charge of the beautification project. So far, a 900-metre long footpath has been constructed around the hill, 29 chairs have been placed at the base of the hill for tourists to enjoy the beauty of the hill. A boundary wall with three main gates has also been built. That apart, two decorative view points, a tea house and two houses in the shape of mushrooms have also come up.
“Next, cement pots with various types of flower plants would be put along the footpath. Steps are on to illuminate the hill,” Lima said.
Since the footpath has already been constructed, morning walkers, senior citizens, women and children are coming to this spot to spend some quality time. A gigantic idol of Mahakaleswar on one side and Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesh temples on the other side have become the added on attraction for the visitors.
These days, starting from the administration to several social organisations are carrying out plantation programmes on the hill. The aim is to replenish the lost green cover.
PNN