Visakha Utsav 2017 Commences Today

Visakhapatnam’s much-awaited tourism and cultural fest, ‘Visakha Utsav’ is finally here. The fest, coordinated by Andhra Pradesh Tourism Department, GVMC and VUDA, is a three-day event which commences today.

On the eve of the Utsav, RK beach has been glamorized with colorful lights and boisterous preparations.

The main attractions for the tourists include folk arts, flower show, temple replicas, food stalls, and water sports such as speed boat, jet ski, quad biking, bungee jumping, all-terrain vehicles, and paragliding (depending on the weather and wind conditions).

Union Minister for Urban Development M. Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the Utsav at 5 p.m. Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Y. Sujana Chowdary, Panchayat Raj Minister Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, HRD Minister Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Culture Minister Palle Raghunatha Reddy are expected to participate.

The Visakha Utsav, which has been declared as a State Festival by the government, would be held at a single venue on the beach to enable tourists to enjoy the different events. ”Hosting the events at different venues had resulted in tourists missing out some of the events,” stated Minister for HRD Ganta Srinivasa Rao.

With a budget of Rs. 2.75 crore the Utsav will be organized by  E Factor, a Delhi-based event management wing. The programs scheduled during the Utsav include performances by Baba Sehgal and Shibani Kashyap on the first day, Geetha Madhuri, Karunya, Kalpana and Srikrishna and Carnatic rock band fusion by Karthik and team on the second day.

Collector Praveen Kumar, who visited the main venue along with officials in the evening, said the district administration was fully prepared to make the Utsav a grand success. He said kite festival would be the highlight of the Utsav.