After about a gap of two months, most of the tourist places in Visakhapatnam district have now reopened for visitors, following the COVID-19 protocol.

While the scenic tourist spots and waterfalls located in the Agency areas under the purview of Integrated Tribal Development Agency(ITDA) reopened on Tuesday, those under Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) have resumed their activities a few days ago and have now extended working hours till 5 p.m.

“All the APTDC hotels and restaurants are being run normally. But the tourist spots were opened a few days ago. Borra Caves, all the beaches and the boating activities were also resumed. We have arranged sanitisers and are ensuring physical distancing is followed,” said Divisional Manager, APTDC, Visakhapatnam Region, T.G. Prasad Reddy.

According to Mr. Prasad Reddy, following the partial curfew and relaxation hours decided by the State government, they have come up with day packages for the tourists also. The ITDA has permitted reopening of Girigramadarshini at PedaLabudu in Arakumandal, tribal museum at the mandal headquarters, Padmapuram gardens, Chaparai waterfalls in Dumbriguda, Kothapalli waterfalls in G.Madugula, Tajangi and Lambasingi from Tuesday.

However, tourist spots which are run by Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), including Kailasagiri, Tenneti Park, Ropeway, Kursura submarine museum and TU-142 aircraft museums, are yet to reopen. Similarly, Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (IGZP) is also yet to reopen. “We are yet to take a decision on reopening of the tourist places,” said VMRDA Commissioner P. Koteswara Rao. Though the tourism activity was hit due to the COVID-19 second wave since March mid week, officials from the APTDC have generated good revenue during the pandemic by supplying food to COVID-19 patients. In May, the APTDC had generated a revenue of about ₹2 crore.