VIJAYAWADA: After remaining closed since the imposition of the lockdown, the State government has decided to throw open the tourist destinations across Andhra Pradesh for visitors from August 1.
Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, who held a meeting with tourism and culture department officials on Tuesday, announced that people would be allowed to visit all tourist spots in the State from August 1. "All COVID-19 guidelines, including physical distancing, will be duly followed at the tourist spots," the minister explained.
Srinivasa Rao said necessary repair works would be taken at the tourist spots, which remained closed for visitors since March-end, in the next 15 days before opening them. The neighbouring Telangana State has already opened their tourist destinations for all.
The minister said that the department incurred a loss of over Rs 10 crore per month due to the closure of the tourist spots and the cumulative loss due to the four month closure comes to around Rs 60 crore. Srinivasa Rao said that the government would construct five-star and seven-star hotels at seven tourist places in the State on Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode.
Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) Pravin Kumar told TNIE that the opening of tourist places will depend on the third phase lockdown relaxations to be announced by the Centre on August 1. The Central government has planned to implement Unlock3, under which tourism sector may also be allowed to resume operation, he added.
New district to be named after Alluri Sitarama Raju
Srinivasa Rao said the government is planning to carve out 12 new districts and one of them to be carved out from Visakhapatnam district will be named after freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.