Summary:
The state government is planning to develop Bhavani Island located in the middle of river Krishna in the city.
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The AP Govt.
has been keen on developing cities like Vizag and Vijayawada, and the development in cities has been exponential.
In a recent development, the state government is planning to develop Bhavani Island located in the middle of river Krishna in the city.
The Island, which is spread over 136 acres, gives a beautiful view from Prakasam Barrage and Kanakadurga temple.
Successive governments have made several provisions on this land to attract tourists over the years.
They have also arranged boating from Bhavanipuram to reach the Island.
Though it was planned to give to private in the past, in 1990s, the attempts were thwarted by the political parties.
After bifurcation, the government had planned entertainment both in the Island and on the river, which included boat riding.
Now, this government has proposed more facilities to entertain visitors, which include joy ride, rope way, besides restaurants.
The guest rooms built in the past are not in use now due to neglect by the officials over the years.
The floods in 2009 and 2019 have caused severe damage to the infrastructure in the Island, which require immediate restoration.
Though rope ways were planned from Gandhi Hill, Kanakadurga Hill and the Sitanagaram Hill, in the past, the proposals could not move out of the papers.
The Sitanagaram Hill on Guntur side of the Prakasam Barrage was planned with Buddha project in the past, but was discarded due to change of governments and officers.
The state government on Friday, had issued a GO, authorising the Executive Director of the Bhavani Island Tourism Corporation (BITC) to take steps to improve and add facilities to attract tourists.
The government had cleared the proposal to have water park, fish aquarium, sky restaurant, elevated toy train and rope way.
The government had directed the BITC to call for Expression of Interest (EoI) from interested parties to develop these facilities.
“The project would take at least two years to provide the amenities and start entertaining the visitors,” said a senior officer, while responding to the orders issued by the government to float EoI.
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