With pristine Manginapudi Beach slowly turning into prime holiday destination for tourists, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) proposes to change the face of the beach to make it more attractive.
Despite a few landscaping attractions on the beach being in a dilapidated state, it has been witnessing large crowds on Sundays and holidays. The APTDC, Hyderabad, recently proposed to the Krishna district Collector to allow develop tourism attractions in a newly identified five-acre area on the Manginapudi Beach.
“The identified land falls under Coastal Regulatory Zone-III,” said APTDC in-charge Vijayawada Divisional Manager M. Nageswara Rao. The APTDC will go with eco-friendly activities by following CRZ-III guidelines. The proposal is for taking up beautification works as well as construction of resorts to turn the scenic spot into a prime tourism destination, Mr. Nageswara Rao told The Hindu . The APTDC has developed Suryalanka Beach in Guntur district and has been witnessing expected revenue generation from tourism. The APTDC, is however, waiting for clearance from the district administration for the recent proposal.
“We had to withdraw our earlier proposal (2011-12), for tourism development projects on the five-acre land at Manginapudi Beach as the district Collector did not respond to our proposal, citing the land fell under CRZ-I area, where no construction activity is allowed,” said Mr. Nageswara Rao.
Fishermen’s plea
More than 10,000 visitors throng Manginapudi beach every Sunday in summer. The number gets tripled during special days and in picnic season in winter. According to commercial photographers who offer their services to the visitors on the beach, the number of photographers working here from surrounding villages has gone up to 79.
Of late, with the APTDC chalking out plans for development of the beach, a few fisherfolk from Tallapalem Panchayat on Monday appealed to the Collector to allow them to ply boat services for tourists on the sea.
