KHAMMAM, OCT.26 : State Revenue, Housing, and Information Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy stated on Monday (October 26, 2026) that the third-century historical Buddhist stupa in Nelakondapalli mandal will be developed into a premier international Buddhist tourist center. The Minister, alongside District Collector Divakara T.S., laid the foundation stone for tourism infrastructure development and heritage restoration works at the site in Palair constituency.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister noted that the massive Buddhist stupa, discovered in the village decades ago, stands among the largest in the country. He criticized past administrations for failing to complete initiated development projects. He pointed out that archaeological excavations within a 1.5-kilometer radius yielded numerous antiquities, which were previously shifted to the Hyderabad Museum due to a lack of local preservation facilities.
The Minister announced that the government will soon host a comprehensive meeting with prominent experts and officials well-versed in Buddhist architecture, incorporating feedback from global Buddhist pilgrims and locals. Declaring that the state administration will spare no expense to revive the historical site, he promised that comprehensive measures will be implemented to make the area a major attraction for visitors and spiritual travelers worldwide.
The foundation ceremony was attended by State Heritage Department Director Kuthadi Arjun Rao, Deputy Director Nagaraju, Khammam RDO N. Srinivas, Tahsildar Ramprasad, local public representatives, and various departmental officials.
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