Rushikonda Beach Loses Blue Flag Recognition Over Poor Maintenance

Rushikonda Beach in Visakhapatnam has lost its prestigious Blue Flag recognition due to poor maintenance.

The Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) revoked the recognition after receiving complaints about the beach’s condition.

Rushikonda earned the Blue Flag status in 2020, becoming the only beach in the state to receive the honor. The FEE’s guidelines require the beach to meet international standards for cleanliness, infrastructure, safety, and environmental management.

Despite having the Blue Flag renewed for 2024-25 last year, complaints have emerged recently. These included photos showing littered garbage, stray dogs, non-functional CCTV cameras, and broken toilets and changing rooms.

In response, the FEE temporarily canceled the recognition and instructed local officials to take down the Blue Flag. A safety audit on March 4 could potentially restore the Blue Flag status.

Reports indicate that a lack of coordination between tourism department officials and unpaid private staff contributed to the beach’s poor maintenance. The cancellation issue became public after the news went viral on social media on March 1.