65-foot Trishul inaugurated at Kailasagiri

Visakhapatnam: A newly installed 65-foot Trishul (trident) with a Damarukam (drum) was inaugurated at Kailasagiri on Saturday. Special prayers were offered to Lord Shiva, followed by rituals for the Trishul. The VMRDA spent nearly ₹3 crore on the structure, which features integrated LED lighting, making it visible both day and night.State municipal administration minister P Narayana said chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is giving top priority to tourism as a driver of revenue and employment.He said plans are being drawn up to develop Kailasagiri into a major tourism hub. Narayana congratulated VMRDA chairman MV Pranav Gopal, metropolitan commissioner N Tej Bharat, and staff for installing the Trishul.State MSME and NRI empowerment minister Kondapalli Srinivas said efforts are underway to develop Visakhapatnam into a world-class city and attract major investments. He said the Trishul would emerge as a new symbol of the city’s tourism appeal.Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat said the structure, visible from all directions, would become a key attraction. He added that further development plans are in place for Kailasagiri, and the Trishul has been designed to withstand strong winds.Later, VMRDA chairman Pranav Gopal said the Trishul was installed under the guidance of the chief minister and IT minister Nara Lokesh to promote Visakhapatnam as a tourism hub. He said the project adds a spiritual dimension to Kailasagiri while boosting its tourism potential. With the Lord Shiva–Parvati statues already drawing visitors, the Trishul near the Hanumanthawaka viewpoint is expected to strengthen Kailasagiri’s identity as a major tourist destination.Govt whip and MLC Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao, MLAs Palla Srinivasa Rao, Vishnu Kumar Raju, Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy, Panchakarla Ramesh Babu and Lokam Madhavi, Vizianagaram MP Kalisetty Appala Naidu, and others attended the event.