Vizag beach corridor in for tourism boost

To start with 10 'safe' beaches are proposed between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram, where GMR Group has bagged a contract for development of an international airport. Popular beaches like RK Beach and Rushikonda in the city are termed unsafe due to high velocity of tidal waves

Visakhapatnam: Realising the fact that promoting beach tourism will be a game-changer, the Andhra Pradesh Government has set in motion efforts to develop 10 new 'tourist-friendly' beaches with bamboo cottages, souvenir shops, food courts and a host of watersports like scuba diving, skiing, surfing and parasailing to make Visakhapatnam a world-class tourism destination.

Most of the tourism projects, in tune with the government's approach, will be undertaken under the PPP route. Visakhapatnam-Bheemunipatnam (17th century Dutch township) has a 30-km long beach stretch which now lacks any facilities to attract tourists willing to spend a long time with their families for fun and frolic.

"Our endeavour is to put Visakhapatnam on the world tourism map with a lot of recreation and social infrastructure as per the directions given by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy," Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao told Bizz Buzz.

To start with 10 'safe' beaches are proposed between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram, where GMR Group has bagged a contract for development of an international airport. Popular beaches like RK Beach and Rushikonda in the city are termed unsafe due to high velocity of tidal waves. Adventure for sea surfing has claimed several lives as a result of which the authorities have erected warning signs stating that swimming/bathing is prohibited.

Smart Zones are proposed on the beach road with LED lighting, cycling tracks, EV charging stations and cafetarias.

In-principle nod has been given for release of Rs 10 crore to convert a Bangladeshi cargo ship into a floating restaurant. The ship ran aground at a beachfront park last year following rough weather.

Visakhapatnam, which will be made the executive capital of the State, is being given top priority by the government for grounding several mega projects. The Chief Minister has prioritised the Bheemunipatnam-Bhogapuram beach road, 76-km Metro Rail with 53 stations at a cost of Rs14,000 crore and 52-km Tram Corridor with an investment of Rs 6,000 crore The State Cabinet has already accorded approval to the Beach Corridor from Bheemunipatnam to Bhogapuram at an estimated cost of Rs1,167 crore. A sky tower at a height of 120 metres is planned atop Kailasagiri Park in the city at a cost of Rs 240 crore to enable fun-loving public to have a 360 degree view of Visakhapatnam, also called 'City of Destiny.'

Hanging suspension bridges are proposed over the River Gosthani. The river mouth is located at Bheemunipatnam.

Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram, known as North Coastal Andhra also have several Buddhist sites all along the coast. There is a proposal to develop a Buddhist Circuit to attract tourists from Japan and South East Asia.