Nagarjunasagar and Hussainsgar reservoirs all come from a boatyard in Telangana State

When landlocked Telangana needs a boat, it looks to its sister State to get one made. The boats that cruise the Nagarjunasagar and Hussainsgar reservoirs all come from a boatyard in Visakhapatnam that for three decades been catering to the maritime needs of Telangana State.

Working out of the Autonagar industrial estate in the port city, SECON supplies everything from floating platforms for excavators to — anything that challenges its proprietor T.M. Chowdary with the entire design and fabrication done in-house.

“I used to make speedboats,” says Mr. Chowdary. “But now, they no longer are a challenge. I have stopped making them.”

The boatyard delivered a pontoon platform with a continuous track carrying an excavator to the Delhi government for clearing up the Yamuna. While the caterpillar track enables it to ride on the soft slushy soil, the airtight pontoon enables the excavator to float. The product is not new, but it costs less than a third that it would cost if imported.

A first-generation entrepreneur, Mr. Chowdary has been building boats right from speedboats to over 100-ft.-long cruise boats for the past three decades. His fabrication facility has enabled him to provide a range of solutions to a number of industries.

Floating jetties

He delivered FRP floating jetties for use during the recent Godavari Maha Pushkarams. One such FRP pontoon jetty is under construction in the yard.

Another major project the boatyard is currently working on is a double-decker cruise boat for Telangana State Tourism to be operated on Nagarjunasagar.

The twin-hull all air-conditioned cruiser boat will have two screws powered by two engines.

“Twin-hull boats are very stable and well suited for tourism cruise boats,” he said.

The twin-hull all air-conditioned cruiser boat will have two screws powered by two engines

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/telangana-turns-to-vizag-for-cruise-boats/article7643664.ece