Vijayawada: Tourism boat operators are upset over a sudden suspension of operation of boats on Godavari river from Gandi Pochamma ferry point to Papikondalu on this Sunday.
The suspension was ordered as chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is scheduled to visit Polavaram project on Monday.
The operators say that they had issued tickets in advance to nearly 600 passengers from Gandi Pochamma ferry point to Papikondalu for Sunday’s journey.
However, they communicated the official order to the tourists through their mobile phone numbers. Some of these had already started on trains and buses to reach Rajahmundry on Sunday.
The operators are preparing to refund the ticket money to the tourists. They also intend to extend some discount in the ticket price if the tourists agree to take the ride after some time.
Nearly 20 tourists who were taken from Gandi Pochamma ferry point to Papikondalu on Saturday were dropped at a forest guest at Koruturu for the night’s stay and they were supposed to be picked up on Sunday evening back to the Gandi Pochamma ferry point.
With no permission to ply the boats on Sunday, the boat operators have made some alternative plan by requesting their colleagues who operate from Pochavaram to Papikondalu to pick the passengers at Korutur on Sunday and take them towards their side. This, they hope, would avoid the problem of them getting stuck up at the guest house.
Alluri Sitarama Raju district collector Dinesh Kumar said, “As the CM is scheduled to visit Polavaram project on Monday as part of security measures, boat operation has to be suspended one day in advance on Sunday. With regard to tourists at Koruturu, we will extend any help, if needed, to pick them up and bring them to the shore.”
Meanwhile, plying of tourism boats from Pochavaram to Papikondalu remains unaffected as tourists from Telangana visit the temple at Badrachalam and proceed to Pochavaram to set sail on Godavari to visit Papikondalu.
