VIJAYAWADA: With all arrangements in place for the highly anticipated Amaravati F1H2O Power Boat Racing Championship, it is set to commence at 3 pm today when Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the event and take a ceremonial ride on Amaravati team's power boat.
The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Authority has spent Rs 13 crore for this event. "We have spared no expense for the event. We spent Rs 13 crore and we expect to get back double the amount in return as hundreds of people from across the world are going to flock to Vijayawada, generating plenty of tourism revenue," said Tourism Minister Bhuma Akhila Priya told TNIE on the sidelines of the event.
Krishna district Collector B Lakshmikantham announced that preparations for accommodation and safety of the visitors have been made. "The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been coordinating with the tourism department to take all the precautions necessary. We have gone to the extent of arranging for an evacuation plan and other contingencies. We have instructed the teams participating to be wary of violating any safety protocols as well," he said.
As many as 100 crore people are expected to watch the event from across the world. "This event is eagerly anticipated as this is the fifth round of a global sporting event. After Portugal, London, France and Xiangyang it is now taking place here. Hence people from across the world are going to watch this. They will all come to know of Amaravati," Lakshmikantham said.