There is very little enthusiasm among 44,000-odd residents of this sleepy town to celebrate 150th year of existence of municipality. The two-day celebrations kick off on Saturday with a handful of students taking part in some cultural programmes and on Sunday Chief Minister Konijeti Rosaiah lays foundation for several municipal works.
So starved is the municipality for funds that it could not muster courage to plan celebrations ahead of the actual anniversary on February 9 next year and the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority has stepped in to organise the event.
Bheemunipatnam, which was once bustling with trade and activity to get the status of first Municipality in Andhra Pradesh, went down to the level of a panchayat and areas of Tagarapuvalasa panchayat (1970) and Chittivalasa (1975) had to be merged to retain its status of ‘Municipality'.
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On Sunday the Chief Minister would unveil seven plaques representing as many works on the dais at the Old Bus-stand area promising residents of proper piped water supply with Rs.17-crore investment under UIDSSMT. The other works include construction of an indoor stadium (Rs. 2.2 crore), internal roads by the VUDA (Rs. 78 lakh) and roads drain works taken up with State Government's special 'Laila Cyclone' grants of Rs.1.01 crore. A loans distribution programme has also been arranged where Rs.1.5 crore loans would be given for self-help groups; Rs.41 lakh loans (Pavala Vaddi) and Rs.30 lakh personal loans.
Tourism Department, which proposes to construct a typical Dutch Village with an investment of Rs.2.2 crore, has not yet confirmed its plans and tourism promotion is at its worst in this beautiful town . Untapped tourism potential is clearly visible and the locals hope that the Chief Minister's visit would improve the situation to some extent.