Amaravati row heats up, Jagan orders to speed up work |

[bhaigan]

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday directed the officials of Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to complete the works as quickly as possible.

The decision comes three days ahead of leader of opposition and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) president N. Chandrababu Naidu's visit to Amaravati to highlight how the development works in the state capital came to a standstill after Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) came to power.

The chief minister reviewed the CRDA work at a meeting with Urban Development and Municipal Administration Minister Botsa Satyanarayana and officials of CRDA, the official body constituted in 2014 and entrusted with the task of building the capital city and capital region.

Reddy asked the officials not to go for unnecessary expenses, keeping in view the economic conditions of the state.

The government also decided to develop the plots allotted to the farmers who had given their land for the capital city.

He directed the officials to concentrate first on the construction that are about to be completed, saying the government is ready to grant funds for the same. He said that the reverse tendering in the construction work will reduce the costs.

The chief minister sought details of the works and expenditure incurred so far. He also sought information on the designs of the roads in the CRDA area and instructed the officials that there should be no mistakes in the planning. He instructed the officials to take advice and suggestions from IITs on cost, design and other aspects of road construction.

The decisions assume significance in the wake of former chief minister Chandrababu Naidu's upcoming visit to Amaravati.

The TDP chief has announced that he will visit Amaravati, his brainchild, on November 28. This comes in the wake of Singapore Consortium pulling out of the project, and farmers who gave their lands for the capital moving the high court.

Earlier in the day, minister Satyanarayana questioned Naidu on the development undertaken during the last five years.

Satyanarayana said only five per cent of works were completed in Amaravati during Naidu's five-year rule.

"The budget for development of capital has been estimated to be Rs 1.9 lakh crore but only Rs 4,900 crore has been spent," said Satyanarayana and alleged that Naidu turned the capital city into a graveyard.

"Farmers should question Chandrababu on development when he visits Amaravati," the Minister said. He also assured Amaravati farmers that all the government orders issued earlier would be implemented and continue to develop plots given to farmers.

After the YSRCP government took over in May, all works in Amaravati were kept on hold, pending probe into alleged irregularities by the previous government in awarding contracts and in allotting prime lands to those close to then Chief Minister.

The government is also cancelling the contracts awarded by the previous government to go for reverse tendering, saying the exercise would save public money.

Amid uncertainty over the future of Amaravati, Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government last month formed an experts' panel and also sought suggestions from people.

Satyanarayana had earlier said after the receipt of the panel's report the government would decide whether to go ahead with Amaravati as the state capital or look for another location.