Bangladeshi cargo ship likely to be converted into restaurant in Vizag?

The cargo ship MV Maa which drifted to the shore of Vizag, earlier in October, is likely to be converted into a restaurant. Andhra Pradesh Tourism Minister Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, on Tuesday, said that the state government has proposed to take over the vessel and convert it into a floating restaurant.

Speaking to media, Mr Srinivasa Rao informed that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has taken a special interest in the project. Stating that the cargo ship from Bangladesh is currently under the control of Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), he said that they will proceed with a plan after receiving the clearance from the port authorities. It will be a good addition to the already existing aircraft and submarine museums in Vizag, he added.

In this regard, the AP Tourism Minister has directed Visakhapatnam District Collector, V Vinay Chand to discuss the proposal with the VPT in order to get the approval from the concerned authorities. Andhra Pradesh Tourism Executive Director (ED), Y Satyanarayana told Yo! that after the Visakhapatnam Port Trust gives a go-ahead, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared on how to convert the cargo ship into a restaurant. The AP Tourism official further added that they are chalking out plans to introduce speed boat services to reach where the ship will be located.

Mr Satyanarayana further said that the AP Tourism Department will soon re-introduce hovercrafts at Rushikonda or Mangamaripeta. He mentioned that they are also planning to restore the waterfront activities at the beaches in Vizag.

On 13 October, the Cargo Ship, MV Maa, which was sailing under the flag of Bangladesh, had drifted and ran aground near Tenneti Park, after losing both its anchors. Heavy winds and tides, caused due to the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal, influenced the Bangladeshi cargo ship’s movement towards the Vizag shore.

Ever since people have been turning out in numbers to catch a sight of the 80-meter long vessel. While efforts are being made to salvage the cargo ship, the increasing number of visitors has encouraged the state government to come up with the proposal of revamping the ship into a restaurant with state-of-art facilities and convert it into a tourism hotspot in Vizag.