Baruva beach eyes Blue Flag status as AP begins beach upgrade
The Andhra Pradesh government has commenced infrastructure works to develop Baruva Beach in Srikakulam district into a Blue Flag beach, to secure the internationally recognised certification for beaches that meet prescribed standards of environmental management, safety, cleanliness, and visitor amenities.
If certified, Baruva will become Andhra Pradesh’s second Blue Flag beach after Rushikonda in Visakhapatnam and the 13th in the country.
District officials said Baruva was identified as a suitable candidate following an assessment that found it met the key eligibility criteria for Blue Flag certification.
The Mineral Trust has sanctioned ₹60 lakh for the first phase of the project. Of the total allocation, ₹45 lakh has been earmarked for the construction of a guest house and ₹15 lakh for the development of a parking facility. Demolition of dilapidated structures at the beach has already begun as part of the redevelopment works.
Government Whip and Icchapuram MLA Bendalam Ashok said the State government was committed to securing Blue Flag status for Baruva and developing it into a major tourist destination. He said Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, along with the district administration, was closely monitoring the progress of the project.
According to officials, the proposed development includes a grand entrance, an information centre, drinking water facilities, toilets, a walking track, watchtowers, landscaped parks, and additional turtle conservation centres, in keeping with Blue Flag norms.
The government has also proposed introducing boat rides along the Mahendratanaya River from its confluence with the Bay of Bengal to T. Sasanam. Amenities for pilgrims visiting the river mouth to perform ritual baths will also be upgraded.
Baruva, located on the Bay of Bengal coast, is known for its sandy shoreline, the confluence of the Mahendratanaya River with the sea, a British-era shipwreck, and its history as a minor port that remained operational until 1948. A memorial pillar at the beach commemorates a cargo vessel that sank off the coast in 1971.
The tourism development plan also envisages integrating the area’s cultural and natural attractions, including the Kotilingeswara Temple, which local tradition attributes to the Pandavas, the Janardhana Swamy, Jagannadha Swamy, and Venugopala Swamy temples, the lighthouse, Haritha Resort, coconut groves, black rock formations near Erramukkam, and the nearly one-kilometre stretch of dunes between Gollagandi and Erramukkam.