Garuda Varadhi construction: Smart City Corporation urged to secure release of funds from TTD

Tirupati: MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy urged Tirupati Municipal Corporation (TMC) Commissioner who is also Tirupati Smart City Corporation Limited (TSCCL) managing director and CEO PS Girisha to send an official letter to the TTD to clear its pending share of the amount for the construction of Garuda Varadhi for its completion.

Karunakar who attended the `City Level Advisory Forum' meeting related to TSCCL here on Tuesday while seeking the corporation authorities to speed up all the works taken up under `smart city project' including the Garuda Varadhi, the major one among the works taken up under the project wanted Girisha to strive to get the TTD contribution which was Rs 433 crore for competing the Varadhi (Elevated Expressway).

The MLA, apparently concerned at the delay in completing the works which in turn causing traffic snarls in the city as Varadhi is passing through the busy areas in the city, wanted Girisha to approach TTD for releasing its share of contribution for the Varadhi.

Girisha said the TTD had so far sent Rs 25 crore only while the TSCCL had provided its entire share of Rs 200 crore for Varadhi works and added that the works will be completed within months if TTD pays its share of Varadhi cost.

It is pertinent to note that, TTD agreed to bear 67 per cent of the total cost of Garuda Varadhi which amounted to Rs 458 crore but paid only Rs 25 crore causing delay in completing the project.

The Varadhi works, which began in February 2019, were originally scheduled for completion in March 2021 but only 55 per cent of the works were over as on June this year, forcing the corporation to extend the period for six more months.

Corporation sources said without TTD providing its share, it is difficult for the Corporation to complete the works.