War of words continues over Jagan’s Rs 1.05-lakh crore ‘Visakha Vision’
Opposition parties criticise the plan, questioning why similar projects weren’t initiated in the past 4.5 years and calling it a land grab attempt
A graphic projection of Visakhapatnam with multiple skyscrapers as envisaged in Visakha Vision document
• YSRCP claims making Vizag the executive capital will be a game-changer for development
• Opposition calls it a ‘politically-motivated’ attempt to mislead voters and grab land
Visakhapatnam: While the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has made it clear that it will seek mandate for five years on the basis of ‘Visakh Vision’ unveiled for development of Visakhapatnam at a cost of Rs 1.05 lakh crore in the next 10 years, the Opposition parties have decided to attack him making it an issue at the time of hustings asking what prevented Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in launching mega infrastructure projects like Metro Rail in the past four and half years.
YSRCP leaders including Ministers Buganna Rajendranath, Gudivada Amarnath, Adimulapu Suresh and Ambati Rambabu expressed the confidence that making Visakhapatnam the executive capital will be the game-changer for development of Andhra Pradesh in general and North Andhra region in particular, the Opposition parties described it as an attempt to mislead the people and grab valuable lands in the City of Destiny.
On the other hand, Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi convenor A Siva Reddy told Bizz Buzz on Wednesday that unveiling the so-called vision ahead of elections is ‘politically-motivated’ attempt to hoodwink the voters. He said he owed an explanation as to why he is opposed to development of Amaravati as the common capital of Andhra Pradesh. On the case against trifurcation of capital making Visakhapatnam the executive capital, Kurnool judicial capital and Amaravati judicial capital, he said it is scheduled for hearing in April.
Jagan Mohan Reddy at a meeting of representatives from the trade and commerce and hospitality sector announced that he will transform Visakhapatnam into a world-class city and make it become a mega metropolis like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. According to him, the focus in next year, if he is re-elected, will be on development of tertiary and secondary sectors.
Jagan’s detractors claim that most of the projects cited in the Visakha Vision are being sanctioned by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and Ministry of Petrochemicals and Natural Gas under Sagarmala, PM Gatishakti and other programmes. “He is engaged in empty rhetoric having failed to bring any big industry to Visakhapatnam,” TDP senior leader and former Minister Devineni Uma, said.
Jana Sena leader P Murthy Yadav said desire to make Visakhapatnam executive capital is a strategy to grab valuable lands in the city. He wondered why YSRCP failed to take up Special Category Status despite having 31 Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members. He wanted to know why projects like Abu Dhabi-based LuLu Group were driven away from Andhra Pradesh after the change of government in 2019.
