AP, TS locked in turf war over ferries in Nagarjuna Sagar

- During the bifurcation of the State, the tourist launch station and two ferries went to AP and Telangana was left with no launch station and launches at Nagarjuna Sagar.
- With this, tourists were forced to reach Launch station which was located on right side of Nagarjuna Sagar in Andhra Pradesh, to reach Nagarjuna Konda in ferries that generates more than Rs 24 lakh revenue to A P State per month.

Nagarjunasagar (Nalgonda): The Government of Andhra Pradesh has shown its anti-Telangana attitude once again by raising objection to the running of a Launch to Nagarjunakonda from Nagarjuna Sagar down station by Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC).

As TSTDC decided to run launches to Nagarjunakonda from down station in the waters of Nagarjuna Sagar, two ferries boarding 400 members were started for Nagarjunakonda at 11.30 am on Saturday.

When the ferries entered the limits of AP State, the Forest Department officials stopped them saying clearance was not obtained to run the launches in their limits. They also made it clear that the permission of Forest department of Andhra Pradesh was must for TSTDC to run ferries through the areas falling in their State.

TSTDC Launch Station Manager Satyam held discussions with the officials of AP Forest department and also brought to their notice that he sent a letter to them informing about running ferries to Nagarjunakonda. Contending with the argument of Launch Station Manager, the officials of AP Forest department claimed that they have not received such letter.

Knowing about the matter, the TRS leaders reached new bridge at Nagarjuna Sagar which would connect Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states and staged dharna on it protesting against the attitude of A P government. With this, vehicle flow between the two states was stopped for a while.

Finally, the officials of A P forest department allowed two ferries of TSTDC to Nagarjunkonda saying that the facility was limited to these two only. With the attitude of Andhra Pradesh government, the run of launches by TSTDC to Nagarjunakonda from Sunday was struck in uncertainty.

TSTDC Launch Station Manager Satyam informed that he has brought the matter to the notice of higher officials, who would take further action.

During the bifurcation of the State, the tourist launch station and two ferries went to Andhra Pradesh state and Telangana state was left with no launch station and launches at Nagarjuna Sagar. With this, tourists were forced to reach Launch station which was located on right side of Nagarjuna Sagar in Andhra Pradesh, to reach Nagarjunakonda in ferries that generates more than Rs 24 lakhs revenue to A P State per month.

The officials of Andhra Pradesh were intentionally trying to create hurdles to run ferries to Nagarjunakonda by TSTDC, who setup Launch station on left side of Nagarjuna Sagar in Telanagana and acquired two tourist launches. The motive behind the action of officials of Andhra Pradesh state that it would reduce the revenue gaining by running ferries in Nagarjuna Sagar.