Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan to perform bhumi puja for ₹98 crore ‘Akhanda Godavari' project
The mega tourism project is envisaged to beautify the Havelock Bridge across the river Godavari between Kovvuru and Rajamahendravaram. A glass walk and other attractions on the bridge are a few facilities proposed to be built on the bridge, which was commissioned in 1897 and abandoned by the Indian Railways.
'A tent city on an island, Bridge Lanka, at the Havelock bridge location, tourist attractions in the Kadiyam flower nurseries and Kovvur and Nidadavolu are part of the Akhanda Godavari project, which will be commissioned before the commencement of Godavari Pushkarams-2027,' Mr. Durgesh said in a press conference. All the ghats, primarily Pushkar Ghat, will also be renovated as part of the beautification component of the project.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
8 hours ago
- Business Standard
Emergency quota rule for reserving train berth tightened to prevent misuse
Indian Railways has updated rules for the so-called emergency quota (EQ) in train tickets, saying applications must be made a day before the date of travel so that there is no misuse and those in genuine need are served. A circular by the national transporter this week said the rules apply to all trains and coach classes. What is emergency quota According to a Press Information Bureau statement, berths under EQ are primarily meant for High Official Requisition (HOR) holders based on their position in the warrant of precedence, such as ministers, Members of Parliament, and high-ranking bureaucrats. Leftover EQ berths are allocated to regular passengers whose needs are deemed urgent by railway zonal headquarters. These include: 1. Medical emergencies 2. Death or bereavement in the family 3. Government duty or official work 4. Job or educational interviews Each case is assessed based on urgency and the status of the applicant. New EQ booking deadlines Under the revised norms, EQ requests now need to be submitted a day before the date of travel. Depending on the departure time of the train, the deadline for submitting requests is split into two time bands: -For trains departing between 00.00 hrs and 14.00 hrs: Submit EQ request by 12 noon on the previous day. -For trains departing between 14:01 hrs and 23:59 hrs: Submit request by 4 pm on the previous day. -Requests made on the same day as the train's departure will no longer be entertained. What if your train departs on a Sunday or holiday? For trains scheduled on Sundays or public holidays, the EQ request must be submitted on the last working day during office hours. For example, if your train departs on a Sunday, the request should be filed on Friday during working hours. Other key railway changes effective July 2025 In addition to the EQ update, Indian Railways has rolled out a series of reforms to improve transparency in ticket bookings: Chart preparation: Now done eight hours before departure; for morning trains, charts will be prepared at 9 pm the previous night. Tatkal tickets: From July 15, Tatkal tickets at PRS counters and via agents require OTP verification. Aadhaar authentication: Starting July 1, Aadhaar is mandatory for Tatkal bookings made on IRCTC's website or app. Agent restrictions: Authorised agents are now barred from booking tickets during selected hours to give priority to individual passengers. These changes are part of a broader effort by the Railways to plug loopholes, minimise touting and ensure seats go to those who need them the most.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
₹375 crore worth tourism projects sanctioned for A.P. in 2024-25: Union Tourism Minister Shekhawat
Union Ministry of Tourism, through its Central sector schemes, has sanctioned various projects worth ₹375.07 crore, said Union Minister for Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. In a written reply to the questions by Sana Satish Babu and Beedha Masthan Rao Yadav in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Shekhawat said financial assistance was extended to the State of Andhra Pradesh under Swadesh Darshan (SD), Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD 2.0), Challenge Based Destination Development (CBDD), a sub-scheme of Swadesh Darshan, and Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD). The Minister said funds to the tune of ₹97.52 crore were sanctioned for the Suryalanka Beach project, and ₹29.871 crore for Borra Cave Experience at Araku-Lambasingi under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 in the State for the year 2024-25. Similarly, ₹25 crore each was sanctioned for the projects 'Ahobilam- a Spiritual Odyssey' and for enriching Buddhist heritage and cultural experience at Nagarjuna Sagar, under the CBDD scheme. The Minister said under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), ₹77.91 crore was allocated for the Gandikota project and ₹94.44 crore for the Akhanda Godavari scheme at Rajamahendravaram. Other allocations included ₹25.33 crore for development of pilgrimage tourism in Annavaram temple town under PRASHAD. Three projects worth ₹124.89 crore sanctioned in the previous year, are in progress. Mr. Shekhawat said Andhra Pradesh utilised funds to the tune of ₹147.46 crore sanctioned under Swadesh Darshan scheme to develop coastal circuit and Buddhist circuit projects between 2014 and 2018. *
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Hindustan Times
Goa sees 39% rise in domestic tourist arrivals post-Covid: Minister Khaunte
Panaji: Goa has witnessed a 39% growth in domestic tourist arrivals between 2019 (pre-COVID) and 2024, tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said on Thursday, slamming 'paid social media influencers' for 'attempting to paint a wrong picture' of the state. This year, Khaunte said that between January and June, 57.12 lakh domestic tourists and 3.25 lakh foreign tourists have visited Goa. (Representative photo) Speaking in the Goa legislative assembly, Khaunte said the department has improved its data collection systems, which show that Goa recorded 71.27 lakh domestic and 9.37 lakh international tourists in 2019, and the footfall surged to 99.41 lakh domestic and 4.67 lakh international tourists in 2024. 'This reflects a 39% growth in domestic tourism compared to pre-COVID levels and a 50% recovery in international tourism. These numbers clearly show that tourism is thriving,' he said. This year, Khaunte said that between January and June, 57.12 lakh domestic tourists and 3.25 lakh foreign tourists have visited Goa. The data shows that between January and June, Goa recorded 57,12,758 tourist arrivals, including 34,64,490 domestic arrivals through Goa Dabolim International Airport in Vasco and 22,48,268 through Manohar International Airport at Mopa. International arrivals stood at 3,25,835, with 1,15,645 arriving via Goa Dabolim International Airport and 2,10,190 through Manohar International Airport. 'Many of these so-called influencers are sitting outside the state, getting paid to create noise that doesn't reflect the reality on the ground,' Khaunte said. 'When we presented the official data, none of them had a response.' Also Read: Goa minister declines to answer 12 questions on sub judice issues; Oppn protests 'Flights and hotels are almost full. We [Goans] can see the growth happening. In the past six months, both the airports have seen consistently high footfalls, and hotel occupancy has remained between 70 to 100% all year-round,' he said. Earlier, BJP legislator Michael Lobo had said that the state government was giving 'incorrect' figures, including data of tourists, locals, and emigrants who were moving to and from the state. Data on tourist arrivals and hotel occupancy is captured through the Tourism Information Management Enterprise (TIME) software, a centralised digital platform developed to streamline the process of data collection and analysis across the state's tourism accommodation sector. All registered hotels, guesthouses, and homestays are mandated to use TIME to log guest check-ins and report occupancy statistics on a real-time basis. This initiative helps the department monitor tourism trends, improve planning, and make data-driven policy decisions. Also Read: Use Goa's elaborate road infrastructure to attract more tourists: Nitin Gadkari Khaunte said that an e-visa programme was initiated with 170 countries and visa-on-arrival is currently available at select metro airports. He has requested the Centre to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to Goa as well and suggested involving coastal MLAs to push the demand forward. 'Goa is now linked to several parts of the world,' Khaunte said, adding that efforts like roadshows and marketing campaigns have opened up previously untapped international tourist segments.
