Tourism Boats Likely to Resume on Godavari River Soon

Vijayawada: Private tourism boats may soon be allowed to operate on the Godavari River, transporting tourists to the popular destination of Papikondalu. This will depend on the flood situation in the river and rainfall levels.

A large number of tourists from across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana visit Papikondalu, especially during the four-month period from the Dasara festival in October to Sankranthi in January. Visitors can enjoy the winding course of the river, sand dunes, hill ranges, dense vegetation, and sightings of deer along the riverbanks.

There are two routes to reach Papikondalu: one from Rajamahendravaram to Gandi Pochamma by road, followed by a river cruise, and the other from Bhadrachalam to Pochavaram by road, continuing to Papikondalu by boat. Some tourists opt for a full journey between Rajamahendravaram and Bhadrachalam, changing boats along the way.

From Rajamahendravaram, tourists travel approximately 40 km by road to Gandi Pochamma temple, where they offer prayers before embarking on the boat journey to Papikondalu. Boats depart at about 9:30 am and return by 5:30 pm. Operators charge ₹1,250 per person, including ₹250 for road transport, with a ₹200 discount for children. The fare includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

At Korutur, the forest department provides cottages and a dormitory for overnight stays, with meals included.

For tourists starting from Bhadrachalam, the journey involves a 70 km road trip to Pochavaram, followed by a boat ride to Papikondalu. The cost for this route is ₹1,200 per person.

Currently, over 30 tourism boats operate in the area, with 18 boats running from Pochavaram to Papikondalu due to higher tourist numbers from Hyderabad. Unfortunately, there are no well-established ghats or adequate facilities like washrooms along the river, though some boats are equipped with basic amenities, including one or two bedrooms for families at an additional cost.

In the wake of tragic boat capsizing incidents in both the Godavari and Krishna rivers, the state government has mandated a complete overhaul of boats to ensure safety, imposing strict regulations on their operation.

As of Saturday evening, around 2.58 lakh cusecs of water was being discharged from the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage at Dowleswaram, with the discharge expected to increase to three lakh cusecs by Sunday. Water resources officials are confident that water levels in the river will not pose a threat to boat operations, and permission to resume boat services is likely by next week.

Rampachodavaram Sub-Collector K.R. Kalpashree commented, "We are experiencing good rainfall in the agency area, with streams overflowing into the Godavari. We can grant permission for the operation of tourism boats once weather conditions improve, as the safety of the public is our priority."

Tourism boat operations have been suspended since July due to flooding in the Godavari River.