Contrary to the promise of Tourism Department special chief secretary Chandana Khan that various development works, including construction of an amphitheatre, would be taken up on the Bhavani Island, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has sanctioned a mere `3 lakh for its development.
During her visit to Vijayawada in May, Chandana Khan said an amphitheatre would be constructed on the island in the Krishna river to promote classical arts.
A lighting system would be set up and damaged ropeways and cottages would also be rebuilt as part of the development works to promote tourism, she said.
After her announcement to develop the island, the state government had given permission only for setting up the lighting system. It may be mentioned here that the government had prepared the ground to ‘privatise’ the island in the name of giving it on lease.
Following protests from opposition parties against the move to privatise the island, it had decided not to lease it out to private firms.
There is a Berm Park upstream Prakasam Barrage. A boat is being operated from the park to the island for the benefit of visitors. There are cottages and restaurants at the park and on the island. But the island does not have proper lighting system now.
The cottages on the island were built on the trees with wooden logs. APTDC regional manager Juvvadi Raghupathi Rao said the lighting works on the island would commence in a fortnight.
A sum of Rs 3 lakh was sanctioned for lighting.
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