Week-Long Visakha Utsav Along The Beach Has A Colourful Start
Folk dances of north Andhra added vibrancy to the opening ceremony for which thousands of people gathered in enthusiasm: Reports
VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakha Utsav – the week-long biggest beach festival of the country – witnessed a colourful start at the RK Beach in Visakhapatnam on Saturday with a carnival from the Aqua Sports Complex to the main venue at the Kali Mata Temple on the Beach Road.
Folk dances of north Andhra added vibrancy to the opening ceremony for which thousands of people gathered in enthusiasm.
Speaking after inaugurating the festival, tourism minister Kandula Durgesh said after the alliance government has come to power, tourism is developing in leaps and bounds. Thanking Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said the festival is being held on the lines of Amaravati Avakai, Flamingo Festival, and Dasara.
“We are expecting lakhs of people from different parts of the country to participate in the weeklong festival,’’ he said..
AP tourism development corporation managing director Amrapali Kata said the festival is being held all along the 26-km beach road from Visakhapatnam to Bheemili.
“We are expecting around a million people to participate in the festival during the week. In all, over 500 events are being organised in which about 600 artists will present their performances,” Amrapali said.
Visakhapatnam district in-charge minister Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy said there has been a good response to the helicopter ride from Rushikonda to RK beach, inaugurated by the tourism minister and TD state president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao. Lakhs of people witnessed the fireworks organised on the occasion.
However, the much-awaited drone show had been cancelled due to technical reasons. Police made elaborate security arrangements and regulated the traffic to prevent jams at the main junctions. The beach road has been closed for all private vehicles.
