₹17-cr. Rain Forest project planned to promote eco-tourism in Amaravati

The Amaravati Development Corporation Limited (ADCL) has invited competitive bids for developing a Rain Forest project at Sakhamuru Park, envisaged as a premier eco-tourism destination that blends biodiversity conservation, environmental education and nature-based recreation.

Estimated to cost ₹17.58 crore, the project comprises ₹16.47 crore towards design and construction and ₹1.11 crore for five years of operation, maintenance and post-plantation care.

The project has been conceived to create an immersive rainforest experience while promoting sustainable tourism and enhancing the ecological value of the Amaravati Capital Region. The tender follows a design-build model, with a construction period of two years, followed by five years of comprehensive maintenance to ensure the long-term sustainability of the landscaped ecosystem.

According to the bid document, the scope of work includes the construction of two bridges, a cafeteria, an open-air amphitheatre, an orientation hall, a ticket counter, an entrance plaza, visitor amenities, pedestrian pathways, bamboo walkways, viewing decks, a rainforest mound, landscaped gardens, utility infrastructure and other supporting facilities. Extensive plantation, horticultural development and long-term landscape management also form integral components of the project, aimed at creating a self-sustaining green destination for visitors of all age groups. Prospective bidders can participate in the tendering process until July 17.

Spread across 48 acres around the greenfield Sakhamuru Reservoir, the proposed project is expected to leverage the water body’s scenic and ecological appeal to attract tourists and nature enthusiasts. Although boating on the reservoir forms part of the broader tourism vision for the area, it has been proposed separately and does not fall within the scope of the present tender.

Gopi Krishna M., Project Coordinator of M. Venkata Rao Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd. (MVRIPPL), which has been developing the reservoir, told The Hindu that the project is nearing completion.

The Sakhamuru Reservoir, a greenfield water body on Kondaveeti Vagu in Amaravati Capital Region, has been developed to serve multiple purposes, including flood mitigation, groundwater recharge, ornamental landscaping and future navigation, he said. Located between the N-11 and N-12 roads and the E-8 and E-9 roads, the reservoir has a storage capacity of 0.03 TMC and an average depth of eight metres.

Built in just four months using more than 200 tippers and 50 excavators, the project involved the excavation of about 13 lakh cubic metres of soil, Mr. Gopi Krishna said, adding that around 70,000 square metres of gabion mesh had been laid for slope protection.