Berhampur: Taptapani, a popular tourist place in Ganjam district for its natural hot sulphur spring, is agog with preparations for President Droupadi Murmu’s visit on Tuesday.Murmu is scheduled to visit Taptapani, a picturesque place surrounded with lush forests on the first day of the two-day visit to Ganjam district. The President is to arrive at Berhampur railway station aboard a special train from Bhubaneswar and go to Taptapani, about 55 km from Silk City by road. She is scheduled to stay at Panthanivas and visit Kandhuni Devi temple, located near the hot spring to take part in ritual before returning to Army AD College, Golabandha, for her night halt.Ganjam district administration has declared the areas around Taptapani where the President would travel on Tuesday and return to Army Air Defence College, Golabandha, as ‘no flying zone’ and ‘no drone zone’, while police have restricted plying of vehicles on road routes.Local residents hope the President’s visit would increase the popularity of Taptapani. There are very few sulphur-rich geothermal springs in the country, Taptapani being one of them. “A similar spring, Tattapani, is located on the banks of the Sutlej in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district, around 51 km from Shimla,” said Hrusikesh Panigrahy, a retired officer of All India Radio.At Taptapani, the natural sulphurous water flows out constantly at 45 to 60 degrees Celsius. People from far-off places in the country and abroad throng the place to take bath in hot water, while the govt has made separate concrete tanks for men and women by channelising the hot water.Residents claimed several people suffering from skin ailments and joint pains received relief after dipping their limbs in hot mineral spring water and described it as a gift of nature.Kandhuni Devi temple, a sacred Shakti shrine, located next to the hot spring source, is also another attraction of the area, where most tribals worship the goddess.Ganjam collector Keerthi Vasan V said the development work of Taptapani was underway at an investment of around Rs 12 crore, as the govt aimed to transform it into a major tourist place.Under the development project for Taptapani, its tanks and bathing complexes, entrance gates, and parking area would be re-developed. Besides the yoga pindi, picnic pindi, artificial waterfall and landscaping of the main areas would be developed, sources said.
