The controversial resorts constructed on top of Rushikonda, a hill abutting the sea, were formally inaugurated by Tourism Minister R.K. Roja here on February 29 (Thursday).
Visakha Sri Sarada Peetham seer Swaroopanandendra Saraswati, YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and Rajya Sabha member-elect Y.V. Subba Reddy, IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath, and MLA M. Srinivasa Rao were present.
Low-key affair
It was a low-key affair as several cases pertaining to the resorts were pending adjudication in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, and the media too was kept at bay.
After the inaugural ceremony, Ms. Roja claimed that the construction of the resorts had begun after obtaining the CRZ approval in 2021. All other permissions and NOCs were obtained gradually, she added.
“Since Visakhapatnam is a developing city, the State government has decided to develop the resorts with international standards and world-class facilities in the place of Haritha Resorts that existed earlier. The new resorts will be an asset to the city,” Ms. Roja said.
Seven blocks
Authorities of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) said that the resorts were spread over 9.88 acres and comprised seven blocks with a built-up area of 13,793 sq. mts. The resorts had all infrastructure such as roads, drainage, water supply, street lighting, and parking lots, they said.
The seven blocks were named as Vengi-A, Vengi-B, Kalinga, Gajapathi and Vijayanagara A, B and C. The facilities in the blocks included reception counters, restaurants, banquet halls, guest rooms, premium villa suites, spa, indoor games, fitness centres, back office and service areas.
“An amount of ₹365.24 crore has been spent for the redevelopment of Rushikonda resorts, which includes site levelling, construction of buildings, and providing internal and external infrastructure,” the officials said in a release.
Resort on CM’s camp office?
Addressing the media outside the venue, Mr. Amarnath said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy would decide how to put the resorts to use.
“The government has two plans – either to use it as a tourism resort, or as a CM’s camp office as suggested by a three-member committee. The government will take a stand soon,” he said.
When asked why the resorts were inaugurated in haste, Mr. Amarnath said they had to do it in the view of auspicious ‘muhurtam’.
