Three months after Godavari tragedy, boating to resume at tourist spots in Andhra Pradesh
VIJAYAWADA: In good news for lovers of riverfront tourism in Andhra Pradesh, the state government is all set to throw open boating activity at three popular sites from next weekend.
All kinds of tourist boating activity had been halted in the state after the Royal Vasistha boat capsize last October in the river Godavari at Katchaluru in East Godavari district claiming the lives of more than 70 tourists and crew members.
After the tragic incident, the state government issued fresh guidelines for operating boats at tourist spots and insisted that boat operators get fresh licences adhering to the guidelines to operate tourist boats.
Tourism Minister Muttamsetty Srinivas Rao on Saturday announced that a few boats are ready for operations. "A total of 15 boats, with a maximum capacity of 12, will function from next Saturday (January 25) across the state,'' he said.
Of these 15, five each will be operated from Berm Park in Vijayawada (near the popular Bhavani Island tourist spot), Visakhapatnam and East Godavari. However, it will take a week's time to clear the no-objection certificate process from the port authorities.
Those who were eagerly waiting to visit the picturesque Bhavani Island can now plan their Republic Day get-togethers at the island as boats will be readied to ferry them from Berm Park. A budget of Rs. 1.77 crore has been sanctioned for the restoration of Bhavani Island which was damaged in the floods
during last year's monsoon.