Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam   

Cruise liners for Chennai, Andamans soon

By Santosh Patnaik

VISAKHAPATNAM, FEB. 15. In what is considered a major boost to tourism, cruise liners will be introduced soon for Chennai, Andamans and other places on a regular basis.

``The State Government has given the go-ahead for the project. The State Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is entrusted with the responsibility of operating cruise liners from Visakhapatnam,'' the district Collector, Praveen Prakash, told The Hindu on Tuesday.

Tourists coming for Araku valley and the million-year-old Borra Caves would find the journey by ship quite fascinating, he said.

World-class beach

Another proposal aimed at giving a fillip to tourism was to develop the picturesque Rushikonda into a world-class beach.

The Punnami cottages managed by the APTDC had already been given a facelift.

"A stretch of three km is being developed in Rushikonda with ultra-modern facilities for relaxation by leisure tourists,'' he disclosed.

Mr. Praveen Prakash said that besides constructing new cottages, the facilities in the agency areas of Araku, Anantagiri and Paderu would be augmented and new attractions like trekking would be introduced.

The Collector said that a blueprint had been drawn up to develop the city into an information technology hub and attract investments in various sectors.

A new outfit, Visakha Ahead, was being floated under the chairmanship of the Minister for Commercial Taxes, Konathala Ramakrishna, to clear obstacles faced in the execution of various projects.

The blueprint envisaged development of the coastal corridor between Visakhapatnam and Kakinada.

Work on mega projects like the Pharma city, Gangavaram Port, Special Economic Zone, Software Park and Ceramic City was going ahead as per schedule, he said and added:

"We are also working on setting up a sports city near Sabbavaram on 150 acres and imparting long-term training to local children in various games and athletics by providing them a hostel with all facilities in the Port stadium.''

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