Glass sky bridge all set to become major tourist attraction in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: A glass skybridge built by the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) atop Kailasagiri Hill Park in the City of Destiny, considered India's longest cantilever glass skywalk bridge, is set to become an added attraction for the tourists.

Visakhapatnam, the main commercial hub of Andhra Pradesh received a tourist footfall of 2.04 crore in 2024 including 51,000 international tourists as against 1.78 in 2023. With the launching of Cordelia Cruise from Visakhapatnam to Chennai and Puducherry, more cruise operators are expected to launch their operations from the city.

RJ Adventures, joint venture of SSM Shipping & Logistics and Bharat Mata Ventures Pvt Ltd, bagged the glass sky bridge project. According to the company, at present, Vagamon Glass Bridge of Kerala is the country's longest cantilever glass bridge. "The new bridge will surpass the record of Kerala," a project official told Bizz Buzz.The new bridge will be open to visitors after certain approvals by the VMRDA. Ticket price is yet to be finalised. This will be a new attraction close on the heels of flagging off of double decker electric Hop On Hop Off (HoHo) buses in the city. The bridge spanning over 50 to 55 meters is designed to enable visitors to get enthralled with the 180 degree view of the lush-green hillocks and the blue waters of the Bay of Bengal. As many as 40 people can walk on the bridge at a time. The highlight of the project is it also has 150-metre long sky-cycling tracks and two-way ziplines for an adventurous and memorable experience. The project cost is estimated at Rs6 crore. This replaces the old Titanic-viewpoint.

The project is developed under public-private partnership model by VMRDA. Officials say the bridge, which acts like a suspension bridge, will give a totally different experience to the visitors. The bridge is built with rust and corrosion resistant steel, mirrors and ropes.

Kailasagiri park and the Rushikonda beach, which has been granted a blue flag for its beauty and clean environment, attract a large number of tourists mainly from West Bengal, Telangana, Chattisgarh and Odisha.

VMRDA also has plans to introduce hot air balloon rides.Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said they also have plans to introduce sea aeroplanes from Visakhapatnam to various destinations. There are also plans to widen the Visakhapatnam-Bheemili beach road, build a five star hotel near VMRDA Park, dinosaur amusement park and a five seasons theme park through private participation. Inthe new Master Plan, VMRDA has focused on promoting sustainable tourism through theme-based attractions and adventure tourism.