Capital talk picks up steamas Jagan keen to get going

Visakhapatnam: THE Jagan Mohan Reddy Government seems to be very firm in making executive capital operational from the largest industrial and cosmopolitan city of Andhra Pradesh shortly, if one goes by the remarks made by YSR Congress Parliamentary Party leader and MP V Vijaya Sai Reddy and Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana.

Reddy, a close lieutenant of the Chief Minister, said in Visakhapatnam recently after a review meeting with the officials on Covid control measures by District In-charge Minister K Kannababu, that the government had the prerogative to supervise administration from any part of the State. A day later, Botcha also expressed identical views on the capital issue.

The MP and the Minister said separately that the city would become the seat of administration 'soon' without specifying any date. Reddy admitted that cases were pending in the court and pointed out that the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) set up during the erstwhile Telugu Desam Party Government would not come in the way of trifurcation of capitals for administrative convenience.

There was talk that the government may house important buildings like the Chief Minister's Office, Secretariat, and Governor's Bungalow at Circuit House and some of the vacant private buildings at Rushikonda-a growing IT hub of the State, overlooking the blue waters of Bay of Bengal.

The government has also sought proposals for construction of industries enablement centre, mega guesthouse and APIIC Sentinel Towers, and a high-end gated community in an area of 10 acres at Hill No 4 of Rushikonda. These are part of Knowledge Park proposed in an area of 300 acres reportedly in view of the requirement for executive capital.

After several spells of speculation that 'muhurtam' had been finalised to open Chief Minister's Camp Office (CMO) in Visakhapatnam, a city popularly known as Vizag or City of Destiny, nothing took concrete shape. The Chief Minister has already given fast-track project status to GMR International Airport at Bhogapuram, Anakapalle-Bhogapuram Metro Rail and Bheemili-Visakhapatnam tram corridor project and beach corridor connecting Bhogapuram to Visakhapatnam. Directions have already been given for taking up work on Godavari water diversion through pipeline project for drinking and industrial purposes.