Andhra Pradesh - Others   

Have a jolly time on houseboats

B.V.S. Bhaskar

ALL DECKED UP: The deck of the luxury houseboat. - Photo: S. Rambabu

Rajahmundry: Here is good news those who want to have a joy ride or throw a party onboard a luxury boat.

The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is going to introduce two houseboats on January 1 as a New Year gift to the people of the State. Local crew of the APTDC has already taken up trial run of the boats that are fitted with high-power engines.

While one boat is named `Kinnerasani', the other one will be named in a few days. `Kinnerasani' has 25-member seating capacity and two air-conditioned bedrooms. The second boat, which is big in size, is a luxurious one.

Houseboats, which are popular in Kerala, were first introduced in the Konaseema area in East Godavari a year ago. T.V.N. Rao and P. Nageswara Rao of APTDC central office in Hyderabad designed them.

Well furnished

Made entirely of teakwood, both the boats will have folding beds, plush toilet and well-furnished dormitory. Twenty artisans have taken almost a year to give shape to both the boats under the supervision of Satish, contractor, and Ajay, work inspector, near the Goutami Ghat on the banks of the Godavari here.

On `Kinnerasani', Rs. 1,890 will be charged for six hours, Rs. 2,940 for 12 hours and Rs. 5040 for 24 hours (with A/C provision) per couple.

The second boat will have a seating space of up to 50 members and eight beds. It will also have big dormitory for conferences. Corporates can also have conferences even on the deck of the boat. "Corporates can hold their conferences and nature lovers can throw birthday parties on the big boat. They can even take the boat up to the picturesque Papikondalu. But we have not fixed tariff as yet," says K. Muralidhar, in-charge and Assistant Manager of APTDC, Rajahmunry. People can book their ticket from the Central Reservation Offices of the APTDC in Hyderabad, Nagarjunasagar, Tirupati, Kurnool, Warangal, Bhadrachalam, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam.

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