YSRCP takes a new stand on Rushikonda project now

Visakhapatnam: The then IT minister Gudivada Amarnath announced that it was up to YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to decide on how to put Rushikonda project to use. “The government has a couple of plans, including using it as a tourism resort or as a CM’s camp office as suggested by a three-member committee,” he stated, while inaugurating the lavish tourism project along with then tourism minister RK Roja in the month of February.

However, three months later, the track has been changed after the BJP-TDP-JSP came to power as the former IT minister said the grand Rushikonda project was taken up keeping the needs of the VVIPs visits to Visakhapatnam in view. “The building was facilitated for the sojourn of President, Prime Minister and Governors during their visit to Visakhapatnam,” Amarnath said.

Spending crores of public money on the project before elections, the YSRCP leaders played a different tune soon after the secrecy of the Rushikonda project was unearthed. The Rs 500 crore-project taken up by the YSRCP in a discreet manner drew criticism from various sections. In case the If YSRCP intended to build the lavish ‘Rajmahal’ for the sojourn of the VVIPs, the building would not have been constructed in a secret manner, that too violating norms.

So far, the stay and security of President, Prime Minister and Governor was taken care by the Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam Port apart from the concerned departments during their visit to Visakhapatnam. Despite such secure facility available for the VVIPs in the city, people expressed concern over demolishing of the existing Haritha Tourism Resorts uphill Rushikonda where a revenue of Rs 7 crore to Rs 8 crore was generated per annum by replacing it with a grand ‘Rajmahal’ for the purpose of the CMO.

Also, there are several places in the city where such project could easily be taken up. However, having confidence that YS Jagan Mohan Reddy was sure to win in the 2024 polls, the YSRCP readied the most luxurious CMO at Rushikonda.

After visiting the project, the leaders of the TDP, BJP and JSP have no clue as to what purpose the buildings could be utilised. In case the buildings have to be converted for public use, they opined that few more crores of rupees need to be invested into it.

Meanwhile, Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao made it clear that the decision on the project would be taken up by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who is expected to visit Vizag soon.