A,E,I,O,U Kings 4 U

Nallamala Hills


The Nallamalas


Range






The Nallamalas near Bogada. The remains of the Dorabavi Viaduct are also seen.


Country

India


Provinces/States

Andhra Pradesh






Highest point

Bhairani Konda (Sikhareswaram)


- elevation

3,047 ft (929 m)


- coordinates

15°40′41″N 78°47′10″E / 15.67806°N 78.78611°E / 15.67806; 78.78611






Length

90 mi (144.84 km), north-south






Period

Proterozoic






The Nallamalas (lit."Black Hills") (also called the Nallamalla Range) are a section of the Eastern Ghats which stretch primarily over Kurnool, Prakasam and Kadapa districts of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. They run in a nearly north-south alignment for close to 150 km between the rivers, Krishna and Pennar. An extremely old system, the hills have been extensively weathered and eroded over the years. The average elevation today is about 520 m which reaches 929 m at Bhairani Konda and 903 m at Gundla Brahmeswara.[1]. Both of these peaks are in a north westerly direction from the town of Cumbum. There are also many other peaks above 800 m[2].




Population




The uneven terrain and the scarcity of water has prevented the growth of any large cities in this region. Cumbum is the largest town in this area and the city of Nandyal is close by. The indigenous population consists of the Chenchus, a forest dwelling tribe who have remained cut off from the modern world even today. Farming is the primary occupation of the people in the plateaus while the Chenchus are still hunter gatherers. The hills were a hotbed of Naxal activities until recently. While police action has significantly reduced the violence, Naxalites still infest the forests.


Transport



The railway curves into the Nallamalas at the Nandikamma Pass, Cumbum



A view of the Cumbum Lake

A state highway and the Vijayawada-Guntakal line of the South Central Railway pass through the hills. The railway was first built by the Madras and Southern Mahratta Railway and is a feat of engineering, having 2 tunnels at Bogada and Chelama and a few viaducts, the most famous being the now abandoned Dorabavi Viaduct. The railway enters the hills at the Nandikama Pass near Cumbum Lake. The highway follows a zig zag alignment and thus avoids any tunnels. The primary exports of this region are forest produce like timber waste, honey and molasses.