AP Govt to tax beach lovers. Entry fee at Rushikonda Beach to be introduced

Visakhapatnam: If you want to relax at Rushikonda beach in Visakhapatnam, you will have to pay an entry fee.

Officials of the tourism department have announced that the system will come into force from July 11.

While there are 12 Blue Flag certification beaches across the country, only Rushikonda beach has got the status in Andhra Pradesh.

Since Rushikonda beach got the Blue Flag tag for the first time in 2020, the Beach Management Committee in partnership with the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has been maintaining the beach.

As part of an effort to make clean and safe beach available to all tourists visiting Visakhapatnam, Rushikonda beach has been provided with infrastructure such as water treatment plant, RO water plant, clean toilets, bathrooms, solar power plant, children's play area, etc.

A total of 39 beach cleaners, security guards and life guards are appointed for the maintenance and they are paid a monthly salary of around Rs.6 lakh.

As there are no dedicated funds for beach maintenance, some fees are charged for parking, toilets and washrooms.

Other Blue Flag beaches in the country like Golden beach in Odisha, Kovalam beach in Tamil Nadu, Kappad beach in Kerala and Kasakode beach in Karnataka have been handed over to private organisations proposed by the Society of Integrated Coastal Management.

The beach is maintained by charging an entrance fee of Rs.20 to Rs.50 in other states.

But, the Beach Management Committee did not charge any entry fee at Rushikonda beach till now.

However, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation has recently invited tenders for Rs 2.5 crore to provide infrastructure to meet the growing needs of tourists.

Keeping the increasing maintenance cost in view, the committee has decided to make some changes in the fees charged from July 11 for maintaining the beach.

It had decided to cancel the fee of Rs.10 which was charged till now from the tourists for using the toilets. Also, beach entry is absolutely free for children below 10 years of age.

Safe drinking water, toilet, first aid, use of physical fitness equipment and use of swimming zone are free for the tourist who enters the beach if they pay Rs.20 as an entrance fee.

Parking and bathroom charges will continue to remain the same.

Andhra Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation, Visakhapatnam Regional Director and Executive Officer Srinivas Pani informed that additional infrastructure would be developed with the funds received from the beach entry fee.