Helipad in Rushikonda originally meant to be sports destination

In a recent sports review meeting, Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) Chairman Ravi Naidu informed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu about the repurposing of land at Rushikonda. Despite being originally allocated for water sports by the SAAP, the land was used during the previous YSRCP government under former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for constructing a helipad near his palace in Rushikonda.

This area once hosted an Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) resort, which was demolished to make way for a palatial structure at Rushikonda, with an estimated investment of Rs 450 crore. The helipad was built on land previously earmarked for sports activities.

The roots of water sports at Rushikonda date back to 2002, when then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu allocated an acre to SAAP for this purpose. Over the years, water sports associations and federations collaborated with SAAP to organize numerous events in the area. However, after the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government took office in 2019 and initiated the three-capital proposal, SAAP’s designated land was taken over to construct the helipad at Rushikonda palace. Sports officials and athletes were reportedly asked to vacate the area, leading to the cessation of water sports activities in the city.

Ravi Naidu requested that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu re-allocate the original one-acre site to SAAP, expressing hope that this would revive sports activities at Rushikonda Beach.

Read also- TDP government decides to open Rushikonda buildings to public

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