Of the multiple projects the Essel Group plans to develop across ‘Sunrise’ Andhra Pradesh, the proposed theme-based amusement park is a much-talked about venture.
The Group chairman Subhash Chandra Goel has zeroed in on three places for the project and recently visited them. The proposed amusement park will come up in one of these three places—a stretch of 500 acres in Nagarjunasagar at the ‘T’ junction of Nagulavaram village in Macharla mandal of Guntur district; at Gandikota near Jammalamadugu in Kadapa district where the government is said to be offering 3,000 acres and at the picturesque Bhavani Island and its surrounding areas in Vijayawada. The Essel Group is said to have employed Singapore-based Jurong Arcade as consultant, which is studying all aspects of the project. “The firm is expected to submit its feasibility report in a few months,” said a top official of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC).
Now that the State kitty is full with the MoUs signed with multi-national firms, the government is keen on shifting focus on grounding these projects. For each ‘bunch’ of four-five projects, the government intends to appoint escort officers at the department-level to guide the investors. These escort officers will address grievances of the investors, if any and call for reviews of the proposed projects.
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Sources in the Tourism Department said that the Essel Group would invest funds to the tune of Rs. 1,000 crore initially, but the amount would progressively go up to Rs. 10,000 crore.
The Group also has plans to set up two other multi-billion dollar projects in the State-- a solar panel manufacturing project in collaboration with a Chinese company at an investment of around Rs. 13,000 crore and a smart industrial township proposed to be established on 10,000 acres of land. This would house 200 industries bringing in a total investment of Rs. 73,000 crore, the Group chairman Mr. Goel had announced recently.
“Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is very keen that all these projects are launched as quickly as possible and investors should have a smooth sail as far as meeting the mandatory permissions are concerned,” said the official.
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Most of the projects proposed through MoUs are in PPP mode. In tourism sector, the Government has signed 27 MoUs with several companies for projects with an investment potential of Rs. 5,200 crore at the recent Partnership Summit held in Visakhapatnam.
The long coastline, the several ancient temples, the Buddhist sites and heritage structures, besides the picturesque Konaseema area, East Godavari and Araku valley are some of the prized possessions of AP that can be tapped effectively to attract international tourists, feels the Government.
Proposed sites
500 acres in Nagarjunasagar at ‘T’ junction of Nagulavaram of Guntur district
3,000 acres in Gandikota near Jammalamadugu of Kadapa district
Bhavani Island and its surrounding areas in Vijayawada