The State government is all set to resume boat operations to the Papikonda hill range in the first week of July, allowing at least 25 boats including two belonging to the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) to operate from East and West Godavari districts.
The boating services to Papikonda were stopped after 46 passengers died in a boat tragedy at Kutchuluru in East Godavari Agency in 2019.
“We are preparing to resume boat services to Papikonda from July first week. A meeting will also be conducted in Vijayawada on Thursday to address the grievances of the boat operators,” Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu on Wednesday.
In April, the APTDC conducted a trial run of boat service between Singanapalli and Papikonda hill range and it was successful, enabling the authorities to prepare the ground to run two boat services—Haritha and Sir Arthur Cotton.
“We will operate two boats to the Papikonda hill range. We are expecting the route map and permission from the Irrigation Department by June-end,” said APTDC Divisional Manager (East and West Godavari districts) Thota Veera Kumar.
Route map
Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board Port Officer (Kakinada) G.V.Raghava Rao said that 22 boats including including two launches and five air-conditioned services had passed the fitness test conducted by the board as per the new safety guidelines.
An official of Irrigation Department said that the Papikonda route map meant for tourist boats would change after the Godavari floods, which is expected in August. Until then, the existing route map would be advised.
