Bapatla emerging as a happening town

Bapatla (Guntur Dist): Bapatla in Guntur district, one of the oldest revenue taluks of British India and erstwhile composite Madras state, is overshadowed by Tenali and Chirala in the neighbouring Prakasam district in terms of growth. Dotted with a hub of premier educational institutes, the town with 80,000 population is witnessing a throbbing activity, of late.

Bapatla College of Arts & Sciences and several other professional colleges under private sector in the town are drawing more than 10,000 students from across the country every year making it look ‘Young Bapatla’.

Highlights:

• Location of an airbase at Suryalanka Beach holds promise for beach tourism triggering a vibrant economic activity in
• local agriculture developed by a Bpt (Bapatla) agri-rich coastal town, is associated with a popular rice variety called Bapatla, an research station

Bapatla, an agri-rich coastal town, is associated with a popular rice variety called Bpt (Bapatla) developed by a local agriculture research station. Location of an airbase at Suryalanka Beach holds promise for beach tourism triggering a vibrant economic activity in the near future.

“We never compete with Tenali, known as Andhra Paris and cultural capital of Andhra Pradesh, and Cheerala, the trade nerve centre. Yet the government plans to promote tourism with Suryalanka Beach as the pivot and airbase provide some silver lining”, says Saibabu, a retired lecturer, who floated a non-profit organisation ‘Forum for Better Bapatla’.

Prof N Venugopal Rao, a retired professor in agriculture science and seed activist, told The Hans India that Bapatla should have received its due patronage from the government to spur growth with the location of Acharya NG Ranga Agriculture University after the state’s bifurcation. It was shifted to Lam where agriculture research station was located close to Guntur due to political reasons, Venugopal commented.

Prof P Bobby Vardhan, head of the department of Journalism, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, and an alumnus of Bapatla Arts and Science College, foresees a vibrant growth in education field in Bapatla.

The Agricultural College, Bapatla Engineering College, College of Food Science and Technology, Bapatla Polytechnic College, Bapatla College of Arts & Sciences and several other professional colleges under private sector in the town are drawing more than 10,000 students from across the country every year making it look ‘Young Bapatla’. Contrastingly, the town used to be a refuge for employees willing to spend their life after retirement in view of its serene environs.

The influx of large number of students for studies spurs housing activity. If the land rates are within tolerable levels, the town’s growth will be unleashed to a maximum extent, comments a businessman Bobji. Aquaculture is a fast-growing economic activity and attracting a large number of unskilled labourers from Jharkhand, Bihar and the other northern states.

By D Rajendra Kumar