Vanjangi Hills trek set to become less daunting in coming months as ITDA plans 3-km road

Trek to Vanjangi Hill's sunrise point made easier with new BT Road, maintaining adventure while preserving ecology.

Trekking all the way up to the breathtaking ‘sunrise point’ at Vanjangi hill near Paderu is set to become less daunting, as the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), Paderu prepares to lay a BT Road between Vanjangi and Kallala Bayalu, which will bring the arduous walk of 4.5 km down to just around 1.5 km.

Vanjangi Hills, popularly known as ‘Meghala Kondalu’, has become a highly sought-after tourist destination in Alluri Sitharama Raju district for its picturesque views of the sun rising over a canopy of clouds. Tourists typically begin trekking to the hilltop a couple of hours before dawn in order to reach the viewpoint in time. It is a three-hour drive from Visakhapatnam.

Recently, ITDA Project Officer V. Abhishek visited the tourist spot and announced that permissions were obtained from the Forest Department to lay a 3-km-long BT Road on the hillock, for which an amount of ₹2.5 crore was sanctioned.

“Our plan is to ensure that the road is completed within the next six months by the start of winter. This 3-km road will also provide connectivity to the tribal villagers from Vanjangi village,” he said.

For trekking enthusiasts, however, there is still a bit of adventure to look forward to as visitors would still need to trek for more than 1.50 km to reach the viewpoint. “The remaining route cannot be disturbed because it is ecologically fragile. Around 200 metres of the 1.5-km trekking route is a steep slope, so some can find the walk difficult. Metal railings will be installed along the trekking route so that those in need can hold on to them for support. The railings are environmentally friendly and are used in many tourist places, such as the Nilgiri Hills in Karnataka,” Mr. Abhishek said.

Meanwhile, container-based toilets are also being installed at the tourist spot and efforts are on to arrange drinking water facility. However, authorities will be not arranging any canteens or kiosks in order to preserve the pristine forest region. As of now, some temporary stalls have been erected by the tribal residents living in nearby hamlets.