As picnic season begins, many tourist spots yet to get a makeover in Visakhapatnam

As the auspicious ‘Karthika Masam’ commences, for the next four to five weekends the city parks and several tourist places will be teeming with picknickers

As the auspicious ‘Karthika Masam’ commenced three days ago, people are eagerly looking forward to pull out their picnic baskets to rejuvenate themselves at the ‘Vana Bhojanams’ from this weekend. For the next four to five weekends, the city parks and several tourist places would be teeming with picknickers. However, many such hangouts in the city are yet to get a makeover to meet the rush.

A number of play equipment, chairs, several drinking water taps and even some sheds are damaged in Sivaji Park at MVP Colony, which is generally thronged by people during during ‘Karthika Masam’. The fountains in the park are not functioning, while the toilets are badly maintained. However, the amphitheatre area, new yoga centre and skating tracks are maintained well. 

The road leading to Kailasagiri is in a bad state. Almost three-fourths of the road which was dug for some development work was not repaired, which is further causing severe inconvenience to the visitors, especially two-wheeler riders, while heading to the VMRDA- maintained tourist spot. Recently, the issue was raised by several elected representatives at the District Review Committee (DRC) meeting. There are also complaints of damaged walking tracks at the Health Arena.  The VMRDA Park, which was inaugurated last year, is well maintained. Authorities have also cleaned the pool and resumed boating facility for the tourists. The only complaint from the visitors is the damaged equipment of the ‘chess board model’ and insufficient number of food stalls.

The decades-old Mudasarlova Park is in dire straits. All the chairs, seating arrangements, play arena for children, sheds and walking tracks are damaged, while toilets, drinking water facility, illumination and greenery is poorly maintained. The boundary wall of the park is also damaged. Some days ago, Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari visited the park and sanctioned ₹20 lakh to replace play equipment for children keeping in view the picnic season ahead. The new children play equipment is being installed and painting works have been going on for the last three days. Meanwhile Children's Park and Gokul Park at Beach Road are in need of facelift. Recently, Ms. Hari Venkata Kumari inspected Gokul Park and instructed the authorities to provide basic amenities at the park for the visitors. Works are yet to began.

Ahead of picnic season, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) finds a major challenge due to dumping of plastic wastes at all parks, tourist spots and other public places. On June 5, the usage of plastic was completely banned in the city, following which most of the tourist spots are made ‘plastic-free’. However, since the last few weeks, traders have resumed the use of plastic carry bags. In this regard, the GVMC authorities are gearing up to tackle the plastic menace at the parks and tourist spots.

GVMC Additional Commissioner V. Sanyasi Rao said that keeping the picnic season in view, the civic body would organise checks and inspections to prevent plastic usage at public places, tourist spots and parks. He said that the issue was already discussed with sanitary inspectors and sanitation secretaries. The plastic carry bags brought by visitors to tourist spots would be seized. The visitors would be asked to use only alternatives, like jute and cloth bags, he said.