Pawan Kalyan lays foundation stone for Aranyaramam, ₹24 crore forest hub near Mangalagiri
Synopsis
Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan has laid the foundation for Aranyaramam — a ₹24 crore Command Centre near Mangalagiri that will unify wildlife rescue, forest fire management, and eco-governance under one roof. On the same day, he launched Nandanavanam to reclaim forest land ravaged by a decade of mining, planting a banyan sapling as a symbolic first step.
Key Takeaways
Pawan Kalyan laid the foundation stone for Aranyaramam near Mangalagiri on 19 June 2025 .
The Common Facility Centre will be built at a cost of ₹24 crore and will serve as Andhra Pradesh's forest research, training, and conservation hub.
Aranyaramam will function as the Command Centre for HANUMAN , the Andhra Pradesh Great Green Wall , wildlife conservation, forest fire management, and digital environmental governance.
The AP Forest Department conducted 185 wildlife rescues and 36 human-wildlife conflict mitigation operations in 2024 .
Nandanavanam was launched to restore forest cover in areas degraded by mining activity ongoing since 2013 .
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Forest and Environment Pawan Kalyan on Friday, 19 June laid the foundation stone for 'Aranyaramam', a first-of-its-kind Common Facility Centre near Mangalagiri, marking a significant step in the state's forest research and conservation agenda. The centre, to be built at a cost of ₹24 crore, will serve as the nerve centre for Andhra Pradesh's forest governance, training, wildlife conservation, and environmental management programmes.
What Aranyaramam Will House
Aranyaramam will function as the administrative and supervisory headquarters of the Forest and Environment Department. It will serve as the Command Centre for the HANUMAN - Animal Conflict Mitigation Centre, the monitoring hub for the Andhra Pradesh Great Green Wall, and will oversee wildlife conservation, forest fire management, ecosystem restoration, climate resilience, eco-tourism, and digital environmental governance.
Following the groundbreaking ceremony, Pawan Kalyan reviewed the HANUMAN gallery, which showcases wildlife rescue operations conducted by the state forest department. Officials noted that the Andhra Pradesh Forest Department carried out 185 wildlife rescues and 36 human-wildlife conflict mitigation operations in 2024 alone.
Nandanavanam: Restoring Land Ravaged by Mining
The Deputy Chief Minister also launched 'Nandanavanam', a restoration initiative aimed at reviving forest cover in areas severely degraded by mining activity. Mining operations conducted in the region since 2013 have, according to officials, caused extensive damage to the natural hill terrain and forest cover.
Pawan Kalyan planted a native banyan sapling at the site, signalling the resolve to transform the depleted area into what he described as a 'Nandanavanam' — a lush, tree-filled landscape akin to a celestial garden. The initiative is described as the first of its kind aimed specifically at restoring greenery to forest areas depleted by mining in the state.
The Vision Behind the Initiative
Speaking at the event, Pawan Kalyan said the 'Nandanavanam' concept is being advanced with the aim of providing future generations with an environment rich in clean air and natural resources, by enhancing greenery across Andhra Pradesh and restoring depleted natural resources. The initiative connects to broader state-level goals around climate resilience and ecological recovery.
Officials Present
The groundbreaking event was attended by State Forest and Environment Department Principal Secretary Kantilal Dande; Forest Department Advisor Mallikarjuna Rao; PCCF (Forest Department) P.V. Chalapathi Rao; State Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation Chairman Chillapalli Srinivasa Rao; and other senior officials.
With Aranyaramam expected to centralise the state's fragmented conservation infrastructure, Andhra Pradesh's forest governance model could serve as a template for other states grappling with rising human-wildlife conflict and mining-linked ecological damage.
Point of View
Until now, been too fragmented to be effective. Centralising wildlife conflict response, fire management, and eco-governance under one Command Centre is the right structural move. The harder question is execution: the HANUMAN unit logged 185 rescues in 2024, but human-wildlife conflict in the state is rising, not falling. Meanwhile, Nandanavanam's ambition to undo over a decade of mining damage with tree-planting is admirable but will need a credible, independently monitored restoration plan — not just symbolic saplings — if it is to mean anything for the communities and ecosystems affected.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aranyaramam and where will it be built?
Aranyaramam is a first-of-its-kind Common Facility Centre to be built near Mangalagiri in Andhra Pradesh at a cost of ₹24 crore. It will serve as the administrative headquarters and Command Centre for the state's Forest and Environment Department, overseeing wildlife conservation, forest fire management, eco-tourism, and digital environmental governance.
What is the HANUMAN centre referenced at the event?
HANUMAN stands for Animal Conflict Mitigation Centre and is one of the key units that Aranyaramam will house and coordinate. The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department carried out 185 wildlife rescues and 36 human-wildlife conflict mitigation operations through this unit in 2024 alone.
What is the Nandanavanam initiative launched by Pawan Kalyan?
Nandanavanam is a state initiative launched by Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan to restore forest cover in areas degraded by mining activity that has been ongoing since 2013. It is described as the first programme specifically targeting greenery restoration in mining-depleted forest zones in Andhra Pradesh.
What is the Andhra Pradesh Great Green Wall?
The Andhra Pradesh Great Green Wall is a large-scale ecological initiative whose monitoring hub will be located within Aranyaramam. Aranyaramam will serve as the central Command Centre overseeing the project alongside other conservation and climate resilience programmes.
Who attended the Aranyaramam foundation stone ceremony?
The event was attended by State Forest and Environment Department Principal Secretary Kantilal Dande, Forest Department Advisor Mallikarjuna Rao, PCCF P.V. Chalapathi Rao, State Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation Chairman Chillapalli Srinivasa Rao, and other senior officials.
