In Visakhapatnam, several tourism projects in the city are yet to gain momentum. With a new government coming into power, attention is focused on how quickly the authorities will complete projects to boost the tourism sector in the city. For the last five years, several tourism projects have not been completed despite funds being available.
Plans to develop a beachfront arena on seven beaches in Visakhapatnam did not go ahead. | Photo credit: File photo
It’s been nearly four years since the abandoned ship MV Maa ran aground near Teneti Park. Authorities were considering converting the vessel into a floating restaurant. Work began in 2021, and then Tourism Minister M. Srinivasa Rao had promised to open it to the public by January 1, 2022. However, the project is yet to be completed. Currently, the site where the ship ran aground is used for weddings and film shoots.
Initially, the government had planned to develop beachfront arenas on seven beaches in Visakhapatnam. The beachfront arena project includes setting up sheds, parking, toilets, washrooms and play arenas. However, the project did not go ahead.
“In the first two years, we could not take up work due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But with support from other departments, tourism activity gradually picked up,” a senior tourism official said.
The G20 summit to be held in 2023 has been a major boon for the city. A large part of Beach Road has been renovated with good roads and a viewing platform. Apart from this, local beaches like Jodugalapalem and Sagarnagar, which have been in the limelight for many years, have also been renovated by the civic body.
Meanwhile, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has embarked on development along the coast. Efforts are on to set up an eco-friendly turtle-themed coastal arena near Sagar Nagar Beach on five acres of land at a cost of Rs 150 crore. The GVMC also plans to set up a “yoga and meditation-themed coastal arena” on the coast near the ISKCON temple area. There is also a proposal to set up a “sports beach” near Jodugrapalem. Officials are hopeful that these projects will gain momentum in the coming months.
Recently, the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) floated plans to build a floating bridge at RK Beach. However, the project has come under severe criticism as problems arose within days of its inception. Officials maintained that it was a trial run. It remains to be seen whether the new government will continue the project elsewhere or drop it, officials said. Meanwhile, plans for a floating glass bridge at Kailasagiri are still in the early stages.
While Tenneti Park, Shivaji Park and Lumbini Park have been renovated by the VMRDA and GVMC, other parks such as Mudasarlova Park, said to be one of the largest parks in the region, need maintenance, while the scenic Yarada and Apikonda beaches are also neglected.
For the past few years, the government has not organised annual tourism festivals such as ‘Visakha Utsav’ and ‘Bheemili Utsav’ which have huge potential to attract domestic and foreign tourists.
“It was the TDP government that encouraged such Utsavs between 2014 and 2019 and we are hopeful that it will be held again,” said a senior official with the AP Tourism Development Corporation.
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