TDP vs YSRCP over Rs 500-cr 'Jagan palace' atop Vizag hill

Hyderabad: A lavish property built at a cost of Rs 500 cr atop the Rushikonda hill in Visakhapatnam has triggered a political storm in Andhra Pradesh, with the TDP accusing the YSRCP of squandering public money "meant for the poor" to build a "palace" for then CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Initially labelled as a resort but allegedly intended to house Jagan Mohan Reddy if his party returned to power for a second time, the property, part of a tourist complex that was redeveloped on the hillock, has become the stuff of household chatter and fodder for panel discussions on TV channels in the state.

When the building, a presidential suite, was unlocked two days ago, TDP MLA Ganta Srinivas Rao said he was gobsmacked by the opulence inside.

As the visuals were lapped up by a hungry news media, allegations threw thick and fast. While the TDP claimed the previous government had used public money for "Jagan's indulgence", the YSRCP maintained that it was government property and that the current regime could use it for public purposes.

Built in utmost secrecy, the building boasts luxurious bathrooms and commodes costing several lakhs of rupees. 

During the poll campaign, Jagan had announced that he would take the oath as the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh again at Vizag, as it is popularly known. The coastal city was to be the executive capital of the state as per Jagan's three-capital formula.

The series of buildings on the hillock were earlier part of the Haritha Resort and run by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). In 2021, the APTDC started revamping the resort, incensing the Opposition parties, which accused the YSRCP government of throwing all environmental norms to the winds.

Numerous attempts by the TDP and Pawan Kalyan's Jana Sena to stage a protest or visit the construction site were thwarted, sometimes by brute force. 

Of the total 61 acres of the hillock, the then YSRCP government redeveloped the 'resort' on 9.8 acres.

On Tuesday, IT minister Nara Lokesh in a post on X needled Jagan. “Why did you spend 560 crores of rupees meant for the poor to build Rushikonda Palace for yourself? The people of Andhra Pradesh want answers.”  

The redevelopment project as envisaged by the APTDC comprised private luxury villas, beach-facing suites, master suites, guest suites, dining spaces, cafeterias, gymnasiums among others. However, what was constructed was suited to be a 'camp office and residence' instead of a resort.

Under fire, the YSRCP said the "buildings in Rushikonda are government-owned assets and not private property". "They do not belong to anyone. These buildings were constructed keeping in mind the priority given to Visakhapatnam by the previous government. It is up to the present government how to use them.” 

The resort is proposed to be constructed on land measuring 9.88 acres of site area and  over seven blocks, with a total built-up area of 19,967.97 sq m.

“Whether it's a camp office or a government property is secondary," noted environmental activist Ganjivarapu Srinivas told DH. "What's crucial to note is that the entire project lacked transparency. Many environmental and CRZ norms were flouted to bring up these structures along the beach on the hillock. Nobody is talking about the flouting of these norms; instead, they are indulging in political mudslinging.” 

A row in Andhra The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation ran the Haritha Resort on the Rushikonda hill, where the 'palace' has now come up In 2021, the state-run APTDC started revamping the resort, situated on Rushikonda hill, angering the Oppn The new building, part of the redeveloped complex, boasts luxurious bathrooms and commodes costing several lakhs of rupees What was constructed suited to be a 'camp office and residence' instead of a resort, as was envisaged by APTDC It was allegedly intended to house Jagan Mohan Reddy if his party returned to power for a second time