Need to improve the basics…

The infrastructure in the area is in dire need of improvement. The development in the region so far has been based on need and has no long term implementation plan; this type of growth is very haphazard and is only sustainable till the numbers are smaller. The situation will get out of hand as soon as the demand increases. To stay ahead of the game the requirement is to develop a robust infrastructure that has enough capacity to handle projected growth and provisions for accommodating changes based on the changing scene of the region. The infrastructure needs of the area is increasing and need to be met by the authorities to make way for the rest of the schemes to implemented. The roads and the traffic regulation, proper sanitation and waste management plan, recycling methods and awareness about reducing the waste. All these issues require detailed attention and potential for expansion with future growth and urbanization.

The heritage needs to be protected and staged properly, benefited from and conserved and the same time. There are people from all walks of life who draw inspiration and knowledge from it and their needs should be addressed so that people can gain richly from their visit. The ruins and the rest of the heritage should be developed from a global perspective and at the same time special needs of our visitors has to be taken into account.

The ruins were a center of Buddhist education and it still is a pilgrimage for Buddhist monk and they come here and pray and mediate. We should try to maintain the sacredness of this place; the other visitors should be made aware of the sanctity of the place, proper cleanliness should be maintained and consumption of food and drinks should be restricted to only certain places.

Also school kids visit the site on excursion trips and so there needs to be special interpretation programs from an academic perspective. And care has to taken to keep the outside traffic more manageable for these large groups of students to safely enter the complex.

Another type of visitor that needs special attention is the ones whose spirits are high but a little physically challenged to be able to manage the whole route without any help. Proper loading and pick up zone close to the structure with wheelchair accessibility to get closer to the ruins. Newer construction can eliminate steps and provide gradual slopes. The areas that are under the protected zone and cannot accommodate new construction should have vista points for viewing them from a distance. May be in time an audio visual tour of the area can be developed for those who are incapable of visiting it from up close.

Roadway capacity needs to be increased, major roads need passing zones and special stopping areas for the safety of the passengers. Adequate planning needs to be put into roadway drainage and its continuing maintenance. Proper signage is another crucial factor of a good transportation system. Regular road signs and mile markers need to be provided besides special signs for recreation /tourism related sites.