The Forest Department is organising a run in the dense forests and hills surrounding the historic Gandhari fort in Mancherial district on Sunday to promote environmental conservation and eco-tourism.

District Forest Officer Rahul Kishan Jadhav said the event was being organised for the first time in Telangana, with support from Hyderabad-based GreenSequer Foundation. The event will be held from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m., with running routes of 5 km, 10 km and 30 km.

More than 300 participants have registered for the event from Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, as well as Germany and Australia.

Children aged above eight can participate in the 5 km run, while those aged above 14 can take part in the 10 km run. The 30 km category is open to participants aged above 18.

The Forest Department has made arrangements for drinking water and medical camps along the routes to address emergencies and ensure the participants’ safety. Runners will be given T-shirts, medals, certificates of appreciation and refreshments.

As part of the environmental conservation initiative, saplings will be planted in honour of the participants at Gandhari Vanam near Bokkalagutta in Mandamarri mandal, a statement from the Forest department said.