Major projects sanctioned for Visakha district: Chiru

Visakhapatnam: Minister for Ports and Investments Ganta Srinivasa Rao, accompanied by Minister for Information Technology Ponnala Lakshmaiah, met Union Minister for Tourism Chiranjeevi at his camp office in New Delhi on Tuesday to discuss tourism development in Visakhapatnam. Mr Srinivasa Rao brought to the notice of Mr Chiranjeevi that there was dire need to develop Visakhapatnam-Bhimunipatnam Beach Corridor as 'tourism hub' by setting up various units of historical importance to attract tourists. He also apprised the Union Minister about the scope for industrial development as the city was having two ports with adequate cargo handling units. He said Visakhapatnam Airport was already connected to Dubai and Singapore and now the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) officials agreed to man the airport 24/7. Moreover, the district was geographically distinct with urban, rural and tribal cultures. The Union Minister told Mr Srinivasa Rao that some important projects were sanctioned, which includes International Conventional Centre at Mudasarlova with an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore, Traditional Health City (Arogyadham) with Rs 50 crore, large Multi-Theme Park at Madhurawada with Rs 300 crore, Science and City Entertainment at Kapuluppada with Rs 100 crore and Seven Wonders of the World at Endada with Rs 100 crore. Later, Mr Chiranjeevi approved some other tourism projects, including development of RK Beach-Bhimunipatnam Beach Corridor as beach tourism corridor with a cost of Rs 50 crore covering beautification of RK Beach, Tenneti Park, Kailasagiri, Sagarnagar, Rushikonda, Thotlakonda, Bavikonda, Erramatti Dibbalu and Dutch Monuments. Facilities to be provided include jogging track, pathway, plazas, cluster courts, food courts, lighting, children parks, theme parks and solid waste collection centres. He further said International Convention Centre would be set up with a cost of Rs 250 crore under PPP model and VISTA Special Train with international standards from Visakhapatnam to Araku. Mr Srinivasa Rao requested Mr Chiranjeevi to lay the foundation-stone for the RK Beach-Bhimunipatnam Corridor to which the latter agreed and said it would be done shortly. Mr Srinivasa Rao thanked the Union Minister for sanctioning various tourism projects to the city.