Master plan for Hampi mooted

Karnataka Tourism to advertise for global consultants next week.

The Karnataka Tourism Department is planning to prepare a master plan for the development of Hampi, a World Heritage Site in northern Karnataka.

The master plan will be a vision document for this United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco ) recognised tourism site and all the future development will be guided by it for the next 25 years, a senior Tourism Department official said.

The department proposes to appoint global consultants to prepare the master plan for Hampi and is issuing an advertisement in both national and international press next week, commissioner for tourism G Kumar Naik said.

"At present we are preparing the background material on Hampi for reference of the international consultants who wish to participate in the global bidding. We will place our advertisement in all the national newspapers and international niche magazines," Naik told Business Standard.

He said the proposed master plan will be a permanent document for the development of Hampi and the Hampi Development Authority will incorporate it for the future development.

"We cannot carry out any construction at Hampi since it is a World Heritage Site and the Unesco has certain guidelines in this regard. So, the proposed master plan will conform to Unesco standards. It will also focus on conserving the heritage structures in and around Hampi," Naik said.

The master plan will also help Karnataka to attract more foreign and domestic tourists to the state, he added.

The department has also proposed a tourism complex over an area of 210 acres at Papanayakanahalli, about 5 km from the Virupaksha temple at Hampi.

As per the plan, the department proposes to develop five-star hotels with private participation and set up theme parks for handicraft and an amusement park.

Last year, the department had commissioned the Infrastructure Development Corporation (Karnataka) Limited (iDeCK) to prepare a feasibility report for the proposed project at Hampi.

The Karnataka government has also sought approval of the UNESCO for undertaking new constructions in the vicinity of the Virupaksha temple complex, a World Heritage Site.