Erra Matti Dibbalu Gets a Tourism Push in Vizag

To restore, protect, and promote the Erra Matti Dibbalu geo-heritage site near Bheemunipatnam, the District Collector has directed officials to enhance tourism and emphasise the site’s significance. Officials from the tourism, mines, and revenue departments visited the site. The Collector reviewed the site and observed the existing conditions. After the inspection, the Collector discussed about steps to improve the site for visitors and amenities, while maintaining the ecological and geographical character of the place. Some other instructions the collector gave include modernising the viewpoint and exploring ways to attract more tourists in a regulated manner.

Erra Matti Dibbalu, also called as the Red Sand Hills, is a notified National Geo-heritage monument located near Bheemunipatnam, believed to date back nearly 50,000 years. These red mounds, made of clay, sand, and silt, bear the traces of ancient geological activities, such as changes in sea level, deposition, climate shifts, and erosion.

Documented by William King in 1886, the deputy superintendent of the Geological Survey of India, Erra Matti Dibbalu, is considered one of the last surviving red dune landscapes in Asia.

The Collector emphasised that tourism should take place while conserving the delicate and fragile landscape. The tourist officials were requested to explore all options to maximise visitor satisfaction and submit proposals that emphasise the site’s scientific significance.

After years of letters, meetings, and sustained public concern, Erra Matti Dibbalu is finally on its way back to be restored, protected, and ready to welcome visitors who wish to uncover its remarkable story.

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