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The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed the demolition of an unauthorised beach resort near Thotlakonda in Visakhapatnam, citing violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and lack of statutory approvals. The property, originally leased by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) for a small tourism facility, was allegedly expanded into a full-scale resort with permanent structures and hospitality operations. Following inspections and a demolition order issued by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), the court upheld the action and instructed authorities to complete demolition within three weeks. The ruling reinforces regulatory oversight in coastal zones and raises scrutiny over land-use deviations in tourism-linked real estate developments.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court has directed authorities to demolish unauthorised constructions at a beach resort located near Thotlakonda in Visakhapatnam, after finding violations of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms and absence of required approvals. Advertisement
The order, issued in the past week, upheld a demolition directive passed earlier by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) following inspections that confirmed illegal construction activity at the site. The property lies along the Rushikonda–Bheemili coastal stretch, in proximity to the protected Buddhist heritage site at Thotlakonda.
The land, measuring approximately 2.4 acres in Kapuluppada, had originally been leased by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) to a private party for limited tourism-related use. However, according to court records and inspection findings, the lessee subsequently subleased the land to other entities, resulting in unauthorised development beyond the approved scope.
Instead of a small restaurant facility intended to serve visitors to the heritage site, the property was expanded into a full-scale beach resort. The development included permanent concrete structures, guest accommodation units and a bar-cum-hotel facility, none of which had obtained valid building permissions or regulatory clearances.
The matter reached the High Court following a petition filed by the Visakhapatnam Fisherwomen Dry Fish Cooperative Society, which raised concerns over misuse of leased land and ecological impact on the coastal zone. The petition highlighted that the transformation of the site had altered its original purpose and violated environmental norms applicable to sensitive coastal areas.
Subsequent inspections carried out in the past year by GVMC confirmed that the constructions had been undertaken without requisite approvals. The municipal authority issued a formal order directing demolition, noting that the project proponents had failed to produce valid permissions despite being granted adequate time.
The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation challenged the demolition order; however, the High Court dismissed its plea. The court directed GVMC to proceed with enforcement and complete the demolition within a stipulated period of three weeks from receipt of the order.
From a regulatory standpoint, the case underscores stricter enforcement of CRZ norms and highlights increasing judicial scrutiny of land-use deviations in coastal real estate and hospitality developments. It also brings attention to the risks associated with subleasing of government-allotted land without adherence to approved development parameters.
The ruling is expected to reinforce compliance expectations for tourism-linked projects, particularly in environmentally sensitive zones, where regulatory approvals and land-use conditions remain critical to project viability and continuity.
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