Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu performing ‘Harathi’ to Krishna waters at the Handri Neeva Kuppam branch canal near Kuppam in Chittoor district on Friday.
| Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT
Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Friday (January 30, 2026) launched a series of tourism and development initiatives at Kuppam Assembly constituency in Chittoor district.
Mr. Naidu commenced his three-day visit by offering ‘harathi’ to Krishna waters that reached Kuppam through the Handri–Neeva canal. A large number of villages from Kuppam and the surrounding villages participated in the programme.
The Chief Minister inaugurated multiple tourism facilities, including the Heritage Village–Bouldering Park, developed by the District Tourism Council at a cost of ₹35 lakh, at the Kangundhi Fort. The park included rock-climbing facilities aimed at promoting adventure tourism and to attract young visitors. Mr. Naidu also unveiled the foundation plaque for further development works at the heritage village, to be taken up with an estimated outlay of ₹1 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister cited Kuppam’s proximity to Bengaluru and Tamil Nadu. “Kuppam has strong potential to attract tourists from the neighbouring States. Tourism-driven development will always hold great potential for employment generation in the region,” he said, directing the officials to focus on integrated planning and wider promotion to enhance tourist inflow.
Mr. Naidu also launched the ‘Discover Kuppam’ tourism website, intended to provide detailed information on local attractions and improve visibility. He laid the foundation stone for tourism development works worth ₹4 crore, funded through APSBCL CSR allocations. Mr. Naidu also inaugurated Punnami Resorts, comprising 18 rooms, an amphitheatre, a meeting hall, and a restaurant.
District Collector Sumit Kumar said that the Tourism Department had operationalised 32 homestays and nine tent accommodations at Kangundi Heritage Village.
Published – January 30, 2026 09:24 pm IST
