Hyderabad, June 27 -- Union minister for tourism and culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Wednesday laid the foundation stone for the Akhanda Godavari tourism project at Rajamahendravaram in Andhra Pradesh's East Godavari district, aimed at transforming the historical city into a global tourism destination.

Addressing a meeting on the occasion, Shekhawat said the Akhanda Godavari project, under the Special Assistance for Capital Investment (SACI) scheme of the central government, would help turn Rajamahendravaram into a spiritual and cultural capital.

"The central government has allocated Rs.95 crore for this initiative and aims to revive the historical Havelock Bridge as a multi-functional tourist hub," he said.

He further said the Cen...