Araku Valley

Araku Valley
Hill Station
Nickname(s): Andhra Ooty
Araku Valley
Coordinates: 18°20′00″N 82°52′00″E / 18.3333°N 82.8667°E / 18.3333; 82.8667Coordinates: 18°20′00″N 82°52′00″E / 18.3333°N 82.8667°E / 18.3333; 82.8667
Country India
State Andhra Pradesh
District Visakhapatnam
Elevation 910 m (2,990 ft)
Languages
 • Official Telugu
Time zone UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN 531 149
Telephone code 08936
Vehicle registration AP
Vidhan Sabha constituency Araku Valley
Lok Sabha constituency Araku

Araku Valley is a hill station in Visakhapatnam district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, lying 111km west of Visakhapatnam city. This place is often referred as Ooty of Andhra. It is a valley in the Eastern Ghats inhabited by different tribes.


Geography

It is located in the Eastern Ghats about 114 kilometres (71 mi) from Visakhapatnam, close to the Odisha state border. The Anantagiri and Sunkarimetta Reserved Forest which are part of Araku Valley, are rich in biodiversity and is mined for bauxite.[1] Galikonda hill rising to a height of 5,000 feet (1,500 m) is amongst the highest peaks in Andhra Pradesh. The average rainfall is 1,700 millimetres (67 in), bulk of which is received during June–October.[2] The altitude is about 1300 m above the sea level. The valley spreads around 36 KM.[3]

Economy

Coffee was first introduced in Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh in 1898 by British in Pamuleru valley in East Godavari district. Subsequently, it spread over to Araku Valley in early 19th century. After independence, the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department developed coffee plantations in the valley and in 1956, Coffee Board appointed Andhra Pradesh Girijan Cooperative Corporation Limited (GCC) GCC for promoting coffee plantations in the valley and GCC promotes coffee plantation through local tribal farmers.In 1985, the plantations were handed to A.P. Forest Development Corporation and GCC promoted Girijan Coop. Plantation Development Corporation (GCPDC) exclusively to develop coffee plantations in tribal areas. All the plantations developed by GCC and GCPDC were handed over to the tribal farmers at two acres per family.[4]

Transport


Araku is connected through both rail and road to Visakhapatnam. Araku railway station is located on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul railway line of Visakhapatnam division of the East Coast Railway, on the Indian Railways network.

Tollywood films like Happy Days, Katha, Darling, Life is beautiful and Parugu were shot in Araku.

References

  1. ↑ "Cheated for bauxite". Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  2. ↑ Need for conservation of biodiversity in Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh (PDF) (Report). Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "Araku Valley". www.aptdc.gov.in. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  4. ↑ "AP Girijan".
  • Araku Valley Pictures of Tribal museum, Horticulture nursery, Tribal dancing & Borra caves
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