The previous government, in all its wisdom, decided to build a Chief Minister’s house and office on Rishikonda at a cost of nearly 500 crores. The project came to light only after a change in government. After the initial outrage, today it serves no meaningful public purpose. The question is, what can be done with it now? Should it remain a symbol of waste, or can it be reimagined into something of real value?
Lessons from Abroad
Other countries have faced similar situations of political decisions gone wrong and have creatively reinvented those projects.
- Romania’s palace was transformed into Parliament and museums.
- Paris’s abandoned railway station became an art museum.
- Montréal’s failed Mirabel Airport became a logistics and aerospace hub.
These examples show that with some creativity, even the most ill-conceived projects can find second lives and be put to use for public good.
Meanwhile, There Are No Calm Beaches on the East Coast
The East Coast of India does not have calm, swimmable beaches. The Bay of Bengal is rough and becomes deep very quickly. This is why we do not see beachside resorts and the kind of coastal tourism that is common on the West Coast. If only a calm water zone could be artificially created by building a breakwater, it would surely attract millions of tourists.
Breakwaters Have Earlier Been Built for Tourism
Breakwaters have been successfully built in many parts of the world specifically to attract tourists. Some examples are Florida, Dubai, South Korea, and Israel.
Can We Build a Breakwater Around Rishikonda?
Among all cities on the East Coast, Visakhapatnam is best placed to build a breakwater for tourism. Centrally located, it has good connectivity as well as the natural beauty of hills and coastline. What it lacks is a calm bay where the sea can be enjoyed.
Rishikonda, with its location, existing built structure, and a beautiful natural setting, where such a breakwater can be attempted.
How Do We Fund It ?
We can invite developers to take the existing structure on the hill to build a resort and a convention center. The beachfront on both sides of this hill can also be given for developing coastal tourism infrastructure for sports, restaurants, etc.
In return, developers could be required to fund and build a semi-circular breakwater on both sides of the hill.
Building such a breakwater would surely be an expensive affair. The exact cost would depend on depth and design. However, to make it financially viable, additional suitable incentives would also need to be structured, and the lease terms would have to be long enough for the project to succeed.
Conclusion – Turning A Liability Into A Asset
Can Andhra Pradesh turn a ₹500-crore white elephant and the problem of rough seas into an opportunity to build the East Coast’s first true coastal tourism hub? Could Rishikonda become the place where a liability is turned into an asset?
This is an idea urgently worth exploring. Otherwise, the White Elephant on the hill will soon be in ruins and become a beacon or a lighthouse for ill-conceived projects. AP, as a sunrise state, should not carry such symbols, instead, it should welcome Surya Bhagwan every day with optimism, hope, and progress.
Hari’s Curries
A Buffet of Reflections