Vijayawada: The River Bank Tourism has gone into Silent Mode after the Boat Mishap at Ferry Ghat. All boats have stopped. The verification of private boats is going on throughout the riverbank. Almost all the private boat licences have cancelled, now after getting all verification certificates only they will have fresh agreement with APTDC.
The Minister for AP Tourism, Ms Akhila Priya has expressed her confidence on the tourism that there may not be any effect of boat mishap. But, the situation seems to be different. Normally, some of the tourists will have a phobia of the water. Now all the tourists who are interested in River bank Tourism having phobia of the boat tour. The mishap, which took 22 lives has created fear among the tourists. That effect is reflecting all over the river bank places in AP.
Even though it is the period of Kartika Masam, nobody showing interest to come at the riverbank. Normally in this season, the Ferry Ghat, Punnami Ghat will have a plenty of people in the afternoons, especially on Saturday and Sunday. By November 18 the kartika Masam is going to end and November 19 is the last sunday of Kartika Masam.
The Official of the AP Tourism said that, the tragic incident happened due to the negligence has spoiled all the efforts of the tourism for the development at river bank. He has opined that, it may recover within a month and by the Pongal Season, the situation will be normal. Mr Koteswarrao of Vijaywada, who generally visits the ghats with family on the occasion of the Kartika Masam said that “We have actually planned to go for boat tour and expecting fun there with our family. But, now we cancelled and changed our schedule to other place”.The River Boat Mishap has striked the AP Tourism very badly. It may take few months to recover from it.
