The recent floods that ravaged parts of Vijayawada ruined the beauty of the picturesque Bhavani Island perched on River Krishna.
| Photo Credit: KVS GIRI
The picturesque Bhavani Island perched on River Krishna is in ruins in the aftermath of the recent floods that ravaged parts of Vijayawada city.
The island resort, considered a prized possession of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) bore the brunt of the torrential rains that caused floods, turning the otherwise serene river ferocious.
Eye witnesses say the water level rose at a great speed and advanced towards the shoreline with a rare ferocity, washing away the sand from the river bank and depositing it in thick layers across the ground surface of the entire island resort.
Many trees on the Bhavani Island were uprooted and facilities were destroyed.
| Photo Credit:
KVS GIRI
Big loss
The trail of destruction caused by the deluge is evident at Berm Park from where visitors are ferried in boats to land at the island. “The floods have caused extensive damage to Berm Park, the Bhavani Island and other adjacent properties. We have incurred a revenue loss of ₹10-15 crore on the tourism properties alone besides additional loss on business,” said Krishna Chaitanya, APTDC, Vijayawada Divisional Manager.
Due to the intense impact of the floods, all operations at the island and the park had to be closed from August 30, 2024. Initially, the department had plans to revive the operations by Dasara (October 12) but the enormity of the damage and the amount of work that was needed to be invested to bring the island back to life had made it unfeasible, he told The Hindu.
The Bhavani Island has been waiting endlessly to be explored and groomed by addition of new features. The successive governments have been making grand plans to transform it into a major tourist destination.
After bifurcation of the State, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had shared his vision to elevate the place and its significance by integrating six other islands in the vicinity.
Vast scope
Spread across lush green 270-hectare sprawl endowed with a rich bio-diversity of local flora and unique riparian eco-system, the island has remained a “not fully explored” lagoon with vast scope for development.
After witnessing a prolonged state of neglect, the government, through Bhavani Island Tourism Corporation (BITC), spent ₹50 crore to lay CC roads and pathways, install lights and develop landscaping.
The rain fury has destroyed most of the attractions. The selfie point, wall gardens, a floral clock, a maze garden, a multi-media gaming zone, a robotic Jurassic Park, a mirror maze and a golf court simulator besides play zones created to keep children busy are all in a shambles.
Officials in the Tourism Department said that out of the total 650 acres of the island, only 130 acres were being utilised now. The government, at one point, spoke about plans to speckle the entire sprawl with adventure and entertaining activities.
As people await revival of activity at the island resort, which is the only amusement place in the vicinity, officials in the department have no clue about the time it would take to bring life back to the island resort.
Published – September 27, 2024 05:00 am IST
