Demolition of GITAM compound wall kicks up political storms

GITAM
x

A part of GITAM institution being demolished by revenue officials in Visakhapatnam on Saturday

Highlights

  • Revenue officials reach the spot in the early hours with earthmover and demolish the compout wall and other adjacent structures amid tight security
  • While they say that they had made markings, the GITAM management alleges that they were not given any notice about the action

Visakhapatnam: In a sudden development, the state government decided to demolish the alleged portion of the encroachment land at GITAM Deemed-to-be-University.

In the early hours of Saturday, the revenue authorities pulled down a part of the compound wall and constructions in the adjoining stretch of the institution, including playground and road.

According to the revenue officials, the institution has encroached close to 40 acre government land and the state government has so far retrieved half the stretch of the alleged encroached site.

Meanwhile, GITAM management claimed that the demolition work was carried out at the venue without any prior intimation.

However, the authorities concerned maintained that the survey on the encroached part of the premises was completed with markings a few months back and the management of the institution is aware of the fact.

They said no building was destroyed, only the compound wall was demolished and vacant encroached land has been taken over adding that a barrier was erected till where the land was retrieved and work was going on.

The road was blocked with posse of police personnel when the revenue authorities reached the spot with an earthmover to carry out the demolition.

Established in 1980 by the late founder of the institution M V V S Murthi, GITAM has set up its campuses in Visakhapatnam, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Currently, GITAM Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (GIMSR) is designated as Covid hospital in the district and has been treating coronavirus patients since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Now, GITAM is being run by Murthi's grandson M Sri Bharat, who is married to the youngest daughter of Hindupur TDP MLA and N Chandrababu Naidu's brother-in-law Nandamuri Balakrishna. He also contested as MP in 2019 as TDP candidate from Visakhapatnam.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS