Vijayawada: Control Room at Punnami ghat to be ready by Feb 20

Vijayawada: Control room being constructed by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) at Punnami ghat to monitor and regulate the boats in Krishna river will be ready by February 20.

The State government has decided to construct nine control rooms in the State as part of the efforts to ensure that there are no mishaps in the rivers. The APTDC has taken up responsibility of constructing the control room near the boating places.

The APTDC has been operating boats for a long time from Berm park, which is located at Punnami ghat. One Tahsildar and staff from police, Tourism, Irrigation and Disaster Management will be drafted for the duty. The control room have facilities like CC cameras and other equipment to monitor and regulate the boats.

After a major boat mishap in Godavari in September last year, the State government had suspended boat operations in the State. Recently the boat operations were resumed after taking measures like verification of the fitness of the boats and the license of drivers. Two control rooms are being set up under Vijayawada division limits at Punnami ghat and another at Nagarjuna Sagar, said Ch Srinivas, Divisional Manager, APTDC.

He told The Hans India that amenities will be provided in the control room and trained staff will be appointed. The APTDC has reopened the rooms on Bhavani island. After floods in the rainy season, the Bhavani island was closed for visitors and recently reopened. Of the total 15 boats, the APTDC has got license for only five boats to operate in Krishna river. Earlier, Tourism Minister Avanti Srinivas visited the Berm park recently and inaugurated the boating operations for the visitors.