Now, tourists have to pay to see the rising sun from Vanjangi viewpoint near Paderu

Entry of private vehicles banned on Vanjangi hill to check pollution, accidents on ghat road. Tourists wanting to reach the top of the hill to enjoy the enchanting view of sunrise and chillout in hanging clouds will have to park their vehicles at the foothill and take a jeep ride by paying ₹150 per head.

Tourists visiting Vanjangi hill will now have to avail themselves of a jeep ride in order to reach the hilltop as the Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) district administration has banned the entry of private vehicles on the ghat road.

The decision has been taken to check pollution, traffic congestion on the ghat road, and avoid accidents.

Vanjangi hill, which is popularly known as ‘Meghala Konda’ (a hill of floating clouds), is the most sought-after tourist destination in Paderu mandal of the district.

Tourists not only from Andhra Pradesh but also from Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha throng the place to enjoy the enchanting view of sunrise and chillout in the hanging clouds.

Locals say that the number of tourists visiting Vanjangi hill is more compared with the footfalls at Lambasingi, a tribal hamlet in Chintapalli mandal, which records zero degree Celsius during winter.

In 2022, the officials had decided to allow entry of tourists between 3 a.m. and 5 p.m. and discourage the visitors from drinking in the open and dumping plastic waste.

This year, the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) authorities, tribal people / locals from three panchayats, the police and other stakeholders conducted a meeting and decided to enforce a ban on plying of personal vehicles.