#terminalbuilding

The construction of a ‘cruise terminal’ at the Visakhapatnam Port is expected to begin soon with the Navy issuing the NOC recently and the clearance by the AP State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (AP SEIAA) expected by the end of the month. A world-class cruise terminal, proposed nearly two years ago to tap the immense tourism potential of the Visakhapatnam region, could not be started due to a delay in the issuance of mandatory clearances. The original plan was to construct the berth at an estimated cost of ₹55 crore and the cruise terminal building at ₹22 crore, shared equally by the Central Tourism Department and the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT).

Berth for large vessels

The cruise berth, designed by IIT-Madras, would be 330 metre long and15 metre wide to enable berthing of Panamax vessels, which can accommodate 2,000 to 2,500 passengers. The length of a regular berth is 180 metres. Cruise liners from different countries like Singapore and Sri Lanka, anchoring at ports like Chennai and Goa, can make Vizag a port of call once the terminal is ready. There will be tourism circuit packages and agents will arrange local tours. “The terminal building, which will come up in an area of about 2,000 square metres, will have facilities like passenger gangways, lounge restaurant, entertainment and shopping and customs and immigration. The architectural work has been entrusted to Creative Group, New Delhi,” Port Chairman K. Rammohana Rao told The Hindu.

Cost escalation

The construction of a ‘cruise terminal’ at the Visakhapatnam Port is expected to begin soon with the Navy issuing the NOC recently and the clearance by the AP State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority (AP SEIAA) expected by the end of the month. A world-class cruise terminal, proposed nearly two years ago to tap the immense tourism potential of the Visakhapatnam region, could not be started due to a delay in the issuance of mandatory clearances. The original plan was to construct the berth at an estimated cost of ₹55 crore and the cruise terminal building at ₹22 crore, shared equally by the Central Tourism Department and the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT).

Berth for large vessels

The cruise berth, designed by IIT-Madras, would be 330 metre long and15 metre wide to enable berthing of Panamax vessels, which can accommodate 2,000 to 2,500 passengers. The length of a regular berth is 180 metres. Cruise liners from different countries like Singapore and Sri Lanka, anchoring at ports like Chennai and Goa, can make Vizag a port of call once the terminal is ready. There will be tourism circuit packages and agents will arrange local tours. “The terminal building, which will come up in an area of about 2,000 square metres, will have facilities like passenger gangways, lounge restaurant, entertainment and shopping and customs and immigration. The architectural work has been entrusted to Creative Group, New Delhi,” Port Chairman K. Rammohana Rao told The Hindu.

Cost escalation