Rajamahendravaram: MP Margani Bharat urges Centre to develop Havelock Bridge into tourist spot

Rajamahendravaram: MP Margani Bharat has urged the Central government to convert the Havelock Bridge on River Godavari at Rajamahendravaram into a tourist spot.

Bharat met Minister for State for Tourism and Culture Kishan Reddy in Delhi on Friday and submitted his proposals.

He said that the AP government has sent proposals to the Union government with a request to hand over the century-old Havelock rail bridge on River Godavari to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to make it a tourist spot.

The construction of the bridge was started on November 11, 1887 and completed and dedicated to the nation on August 30, 1900 and the then Madras Governor Sir Arthur Elibank Havelock inaugurated the bridge.

He said that the rail bridge served as Howrah-Chennai line until the time of its decommissioning. He said that the state government had already paid an amount of Rs 13 crore to the Railway Board to hand the bridge over to it and proposed conversion of the bridge as a walking track across Godavari River as a tourist and historical spot.

He requested Union Minister Kishan Reddy to allocate necessary funds from the Center for development of the Havelock Bridge as a tourism spot.

Bharat told the Minister that Rajahmundry is known for its old traditions, culture and practices. The MP urged the Union Minister to develop Rajamahendravaram as a heritage city in view of its intrinsic cultural value and it deserved the Heritage City tag.

It has contributed a lot to the art and culture of Telugu people. It is the place where Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Buddhist religions flourished from several centuries, he added. Hence, he requested Union Minister Kishan Reddy to develop and identify the historical sites, temples are present in and around Rajahmundry which needs to be explored and excavated to know history and glory of Rajahmundry.

He also requested Union Minister Kishan Reddy for the development and upgrading of the Gowthami Regional Library in Rajahmundry and also to sanction financial assistance under the matching schemes.

He said that the digitisation of old books is under progress with the help of donors. So far 10,000 old books of 40,000 are digitised. The digitisation of 30,000 is being taken up in the second phase. Donors are not coming forward for the second phase of digitisation. Matching scheme of financial assistance is required from the government for digitisation for the rare books and manuscripts, the MP said. He requested the Minister to sanction funds for upgrading Gowthami Regional Library.