Whatever the future of the Pattiseema-Papikondalu boat ride once the construction of the Polavaram irrigation project gathers steam, tour operators from Pattiseema have added three more air-conditioned luxury boats to the existing fleet of 13 from the ensuing season. The boat trip is popular with tourists, including those from north India.
The tour begins at Pattiseema at 9.30 am. The boats proceed via Polavaram, the Gandi Posamma temple and Papikondalu, before reaching Perantalapalle at about 3.30 p.m. The boats return to the boarding point by 6.30 p.m., covering a total distance of 130 km on the Godavari. Breakfast, tea, lunch and snacks are given in the boat with some entertainment on the deck thrown in. Those who wish to go up to Bhadrachalam can take a connecting boat from Perantalapalle to reach Pochavaram in Khammam district.
The ticket for the Pattiseema-Papikondalu trip is Rs. 650 per adult and Rs. 450 per child inclusive of food. These rates are applicable to those who start their trip at Rajahmundry. Those who wish to return to the boarding point on their own get a concession of Rs. 100 per ticket.
“This is probably the most economic tour package in India. The ticket price includes food and entertainment,” says M.V.R. Bhagawan, secretary of the Sir Arthur Cotton Luxury Boat Agents Association. To avoid unhealthy competition, owners of the 13 boats have designed a centralised booking system.
The number of boats to be operated the next day will be decided every evening, based on the number of tickets sold by all the agents. This being the off-season, only a couple of boats a day are being operated. The season begins from September and goes on till January during which period all the boats will be out on the river, operating to full capacity.
