Rushikonda beach resorts a la Goa to come up

Visakhapatnam: ANDHRA Pradesh has decided to develop Rushikonda beach resorts on the lines of Goa minus casino. Tendering process will begin in a few days to start work on the modernisation and expansion of Rushikonda resorts by the AP Tourism Development Corporation at a cost of Rs 240 crore.

Like Goa, Visakhapatnam has the rare combination of green-capped hillocks and virgin beaches. Proposals are under consideration to create amenities like bamboo cottages, parasailing and sea cruise in small passenger vessels to attract tourists. A few Buddhist sites are also located at close distance on the Visakhapatnam-Bheemunipatnam Beach Road. The government has already decided to develop a Beach Corridor connecting the GMR International Airport at Bhogapuram.

The government has already obtained clearance from the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change as per the Coastal Regulation Zone notification of 2011 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for development and landscaping of Rushikonda resorts.

"We will be finalising tenders in a few days as the government has given top priority to the project," a senior official of APTDC told Bizz Buzz.

Rushikonda cottages, which has 34 rooms in the old block and 24 in new, has been closed for tourists for the past few months to facilitate construction of new blocks. Different types of rooms will be built in two phases in seven blocks measuring 19,968 square meters in an area of 9.88 acres. Rs.92 crore will be spent on site preparation and road connectivity. In the second phase, constructions and other amenities will be made in an area of 51 acres.

Rushikonda is the most sought-after beach in Visakhapatnam for locals as well as tourists after the Ramakrishna beach. The government has several plans including introduction of seaplanes and a wide array of watersports at Rushikonda. Rafting, skiing and speed boats, which were introduced before Covid-19 pandemic, have been stopped to prevent spread of the virus.