Govt committed to promoting tourism in Pulicat Lake area

Minister for Tourism, Kandula Durgesh, has reiterated his commitment to promoting tourism in the Pulicat Lake area and ensuring that tourists are provided with all necessary facilities.
The Minister, accompanied by MLA Nelavala Vijayasri, Collector S. Venkateswar, and Joint Collector S. Bansal, formally inaugurated the three-day Flamingo Festival in Sullurpet on Saturday.
On the occasion, he flagged off a rally from Holy Cross Circle to the Junior College and also launched air balloons. The Flamingo Festival, which began on January 18, will run through January 20.
While addressing the gathering, the Tourism Minister spoke about the Government’s efforts to develop the state through the P4 concept—Public, Private, and People’s Partnership—along with the PPP model. He assured that steps would be taken to enhance boating facilities at BV Palem to attract more tourists.
The Minister praised the Tirupati district administration and public representatives for organizing the Flamingo Festival on such a grand scale, which has drawn visitors, nature enthusiasts, and bird watchers not only from across the state but also from other parts of the country.
“Despite the financial challenges faced by the State, the Flamingo Festival is being celebrated on a grand scale. We will take steps to identify and resolve the issues faced by the Pulicat area. Efforts will be made to develop the Pulicat Lake region as a major tourist attraction. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is keen on developing the tourism sector through the Public, Private, and People’s Participation concept,” the Minister affirmed.
Tourism Minister Durgesh also praised the audiovisual presentation at the start of the program, describing it as a visual treat. He noted that it was a wonderful experience to see the flamingos, the Nelapattu area, and the Pulicat Lake, which is ranked second in terms of bird watching a truly remarkable sight.
The Minister commended the district Collector and tourism officials for successfully organizing the event. MLA Vijayasri highlighted that the Flamingo Festival had resumed after a gap of five years. Collector Venkateswar pointed out that the catchment area for the tourist destinations is vast, attracting visitors not only from Tamil Nadu but also from the districts of Tirupati, Chittoor, and Nellore. He assured that all necessary facilities for tourists had been arranged.
Among those who attended the event were Municipal Chairman Srimant Reddy, former MP N. Subramanyam, former Minister P. Ratnam, former MLC V. Narayana Reddy, and RDO Kiranmai.