The Visakhapatnam Rushikonda Palace, a ‘white elephant’ built thoughtlessly by the previous Jagan government at a cost of crores of rupees of public money, is still the subject of lengthy discussions by the coalition government’s sub-committee, which has yet to reach a conclusion on how to utilize it.
BY RAJA PENTAPATI
AP BUREAU CHIEF
NATIONAL NEWS
Amaravati, December 24 (Bharat News): Ministers Payyavula Keshav and Kandula Durgesh stated that the Andhra Pradesh state government is considering utilizing the Rushikonda Palace in Visakhapatnam in a way that aligns with public interest, generates revenue for the government, and does not burden the state exchequer.
The third meeting of the sub-committee formed by the government to decide on the utilization of the Rushikonda Palace was held on Wednesday in the Secretariat. Social Welfare Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy participated virtually.
On this occasion, Tourism Department Special Chief Secretary Ajay Jain, APTA CEO and APTDC MD Amrapali Kata, and Tourism Department officials Srinivas and Eswaraiah explained the details related to the Rushikonda Palace to the committee.
After lengthy discussions, Ministers Payyavula Keshav and Kandula Durgesh stated that they discussed several proposals regarding the utilization of the palace, and that companies like Taj, Leela Palace, Atmos Core, and FEMA have come forward.
They stated that the existing Rushikonda buildings are not entirely suitable for hotels. The ministers mentioned that opinions were expressed that it would be better to construct additional buildings on top of the existing palace structures. He said that these proposals would be discussed again on June 28th in an online GoM (Group of Ministers) meeting.
He added that the final proposals from that meeting would be sent to the state cabinet for approval.Speaking on this occasion, Minister Payyavula Keshav said that they believe it would be good to give the Rushikonda Palace to the hospitality industry.
However, he mentioned that some people had requested an additional 9 acres of land below Rushikonda for hotels. He said that they are aware that according to CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone) regulations, no construction should be done on 7 acres of that land. He added that they discussed how best to utilize the remaining 2 acres.
He said that the last two blocks of the Rushikonda Palace would be kept for public use, such as for an art gallery, cultural programs, and other purposes. He criticized that the Rushikonda Palace has become a white elephant.
Minister Kandula Durgesh , said that they would take measures to generate revenue for the government and make the available land useful for public visits. He said that they are focusing on a viable project. He stated that they primarily believe it would be good to construct rooms on the relevant land and utilize it for hospitality purposes. He added that a final decision on how to utilize the Rushikonda Palace would be taken soon.
Bharat News Andhra Pradesh
