Vizag turns into a beehive of activity over capital shift talk
Speculation is doing the rounds that the tourist resorts of APTDC at sea-facing Rushikonda, which has been redeveloped with an investment of Rs 200 crore, may be made the CM’s camp office
image for illustrative purpose
The government is talking about capital shift just to divert attention from growing public discontentment over the arrest of Chandrababu Naidu in the Rs 371-crore skill development scam case - Ganta Srinivasa Rao, former Minister & TDP MLA
Visakhapatnam: Capital shift talk has led to witnessing a beehive of activity in Visakhapatnam ever since Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy gave enough indications on his plans to make the city the seat of administration during Dasara festival at the recently held Cabinet meeting.
Though clarity is yet to be available on whether Visakhapatnam will be made the executive capital formally or to start with the opening of a CM’s camp office, the city has been drawing a flood of senior bureaucrats and ruling party leaders.
While Chief Secretary KS Jawahar Reddy is understood to have held a review meeting on infrastructure projects with particular reference to capital related office shifting arrangements, YSRCP regional coordinator YV Subba Reddy on Saturday attended a meeting held by the Non-Political JAC on Trifurcation of Capital to accord a grand reception to Jagan Mohan Reddy for his decision to shift to Visakhapatnam.
Speculation is doing the rounds that the tourist resorts of AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) at sea-facing Rushikonda, which has been redeveloped with an investment of Rs 200 crore, may be made the CM’s camp office. If the finishing touches on interiors and furnishing are not complete in view of the deadline fast nearing, the CM might function temporarily from the Visakhapatnam Port Guesthouse or the Circuit House, also called the Governor’s Bungalow. For the CM’s residence, earlier, the officials had inspected the Andhra University Vice-Chancellor’s quarter as well as a high-end villa with a distant view of sea located near the IT Special Economic Zone on the Rushikonda HIlls.
Officials were on the look-out for suitable buildings for the CM’s camp office, Secretariat, CM’s residence, offices of key functionaries and the Governor for the past several months. The designation of Commissioner of Police has already been upgraded to the rank of Additional DG of Police.
When asked after a review meeting on implementation of metro rail, international convention centre at Kapuluppada, science city atop Kailasagiri hill park and other infrastructure projects for Visakhapatnam, the Chief Minister neither confirmed nor denied any discussion on implementation of the capital shifting plan.
Minister for Industries and Commerce Gudivada Amarnath however told the media during an informal talk that a committee led by the Principal Secretary, Infrastructure is expected to submit a report within next 10 to 15 days on housing and shifting of various key officials and offices to Visakhapatnam in a phased manner.
Subba Reddy, a key functionary of YSRCP, said he reviewed the arrangements for ‘Visakha Vandanam’ on October 15 to welcome Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy’s decision to relocate to Visakhapatnam and make City of Destiny the seat of administration during Dasara festival. He earlier said they are trying to sort out the challenges posed in implementation of three capitals as part of their resolve to ensure decentralised development.
However, former Minister and TDP MLA from the city Ganta Srinivasa Rao alleged that the government is talking about capital shift just to divert attention from growing public discontentment over the arrest of Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the Rs 371-crore skill development scam case.
