State to launch amphibious boats on river Godavari from January

Rajahmundry: Taking its cue from Goa, Andhra Pradesh is set to introduce amphibious vessels that will take tourists for visiting religious places along the Godavari river from mid-January.

Popularly known as ‘Duck Boats’, the service is the first-of-its-kind in South India. It was introduced in Goa in November this year.

For the project to become viable, roads are being constructed at various ghats along the river in Rajahmundry and Purushottamapatnam in East Godavari and Gutala and Kovvuru in West Godavari.

Initially, two boats will be launched in the two Godavari districts after Sankranti.

A private company Craftsman Reality and Hospitality Services Limited is investing in the project and would finalise the ticket price for the almost 80 km to 90 km road and water ride one way. The company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government in July last year.

“They had already held trail runs of the boats in Goa three weeks ago. The boats would reach the state in a couple of weeks. As part of the MoU, we need to provide them the infrastructure like roads leading to the river and ticket counters,” G Bhima Shankar, tourism department ED and Akhanda Godavari Tourism Project special officer, told TOI.

The duck boat would start from VIP Pushkar Ghat and Saraswati Ghat at Rajahmundry by road and reach Kovvuru in West Godavari via road-cum-rail bridge. From there it will travel to Gutala near Pattiseema and enter the river from the jetty there.

Tourist can visit the Lord Siva temple on an island at Pattiseema and Gandi Pochamma temple in Devipatnam mandal in East Godavari. The duck boat would reach Lancheela Revu at Purushottmapatnam from where it will travel by road to Rajahmudnry via Seetanagaram.

State tourism department officials had initially planned this service on river Krishna or in Vizag. However, the plans did not materialise. Bhima Sankar said the boat has the capacity to seat 30 to 35 people.