Vijayawada: The state government’s riverfront capital plan is likely to boost the importance of islands on the River Krishna in the near future. The islands in the surrounding villages are suitable for tourism projects.
According to officials, these islands cumulatively have about 20,000 acres of land, in the middle of River Krishna, from Pulichintala project to Prakasam Barrage.
Several islands from Amaravati to Prakasam Barrage will get importance given the entire area is part of the state capital region.
Of these islands Bhavani, Ferry, Rayapaudi, Amaravati, Uddandayapalem and Venkatapalem Island etc, only Bhavani Island has been developed as a tourism centre. The government has announced a new development package for the island keeping in mind the capital city’s future entertainment needs.
As part of the capital construction plans, the government wants to introduce various tourism projects on the River Krishna, especially moonlight dinner on boats and water sports.
The tourism department also plans to install statues of prominent personalities in the middle of the River Krishna.
The irrigation department has all the rights to the islands but it has not taken any initiative to nurture them.
A majority of these islands are in the hands of private leaseholders and some of them have been encroached against irrigation department rules
Most of these leaseholders have grabbed more land than what they were originally allocated by the irrigation department.
The leaseholders have arranged special boats for islands from Krishna riverbed. Some of them are cultivating various commercial crops and several have constructed small buildings and temples.
A few of them are paying nominal lease amount and the department does not have sufficient records.
