Chiru for easing CRZ rules for tourism

Lays stone for Vizag-Bheemili beach corridor circuit Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on Saturday said he would make efforts to liberalise the guidelines of Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) so as to enable development of tourism on the coast. Addressing a public meeting at Bheemili after laying a foundation stone for Visakhapatnam-Bheemili Beach Corridor Tourism Circuit, he said important tourism projects were getting stuck due to stringent CRZ regulations and that there was an imminent need to relax them to take up coastal tourism projects.

Claiming to be the brand ambassador of tourism in India, the actor-turned politician said he would take forward development of infrastructure to boost tourism in the country. He reminded that the Union Ministry of Tourism had sanctioned around Rs 221 crore worth tourism projects for Andhra Pradesh, including in Telangana region. He said there were plans to sanction more projects to pave for rapid growth of tourism sector in the State. Calling Visakhapatnam one of the best cities in the country, with its picturesque coastal line, the Minister said he had approved the Central Finance Assistance (CFA) to the tune of Rs 45.88 crore for the development of Vizag-Bheemili Beach Corridor Tourism Circuit and the project would be commissioned in next 18 months. Dwelling on global tourism, Chiranjeevi said the tourism sector would generate employment to local youth and the government was giving top priority to the beach tourism. The Vizag-Bheemili Beach Corridor Tourism Circuit project would help position Vizag as a world class tourism destination for not only domestic tourisms but also for foreign tourists. The project would upgrade facilities along 30-km stretch of the beach corridor form Rama Krishna Beach to Bheemili beach. Recalling his days at Bheemili during Aaradhana movie shooting, he said Balachandar's movie Marocharitra highlighted the beauty of the city. ``During the cinema shooting a woman offered me Uppu Chepa-Pappu Charu (dry fish and dal) and I will never forgot the woman and the taste of the dishes," he added. Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Tourism Minister Vatti Vasantha Kumar said the project would focus on development of tourism facilities at RK Beach, Kailasagiri, Rushikonda Beach, Bavikonda, Thotlakonda, Erramattidibbalu,, Mangamaripeta, Pavuralakonda and Bheemili including beautification of the beach corridor circuit. Ganta reminded that without easing of CRZ guidelines, it would be virtually impossible to take forward coastal infrastructure development.