Bodhi Siri project caught in red tape

The Bodhi Siri, one of the prestigious projects of Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTMUDA), is hanging in the balance as the Guntur district Collector and the AP Pollution Control Board have been sitting on the file.

June 16, 2012 10:10 am | Updated July 12, 2016 03:35 am IST - VIJAYAWADA:

A graphic view of Bodhi Siri project to be developed by the VGTMUDA on Sitanagaram  hillock near Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada.

A graphic view of Bodhi Siri project to be developed by the VGTMUDA on Sitanagaram hillock near Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada.

VUDA plans to develop 8-acre land on hillock near barrage. Neither the district Collector nor the Member Secretary of the PCB has furnished their remarks on the project though the government had asked for their views six months ago. The UDA officials are making rounds in the corridors of the PCB in Hyderabad and the Guntur district Collector's office to get the things done.

However, there has not been much progress so far. Consequently, the UDA is unable to go ahead with the Rs.73.12-crore project to be developed in Private Public Partnership (PPP) mode in 18 months.

The UDA has identified 8-acre land that is suitable for the project on a hillock close to the Prakasam Barrage.

It has planned to develop the project on the hillock in three phases. It has planned to develop approaches, landscaping, and installation of the statue with Rs.13.62 crore; in phase-II, health spa, entertainment zone and club house would be constructed at a cost of Rs.52 crore; and in phase-III, the UDA has plans to spend Rs.7.50 crore to construct a revolving restaurant, sources say.

The focus of the development theme would be 60-foot-high Buddha statue blessing the city for its growth and prosperity. The light effect would be highlight of the statue at night.

Revolving restaurant

The revolving restaurant is the first of its kind in the State, and next only to Ahmedabad. Earlier, a revolving restaurant facility was available at Bhaskara Palace Hotel, which has now been converted into a hospital in Hyderabad. Now, no city in the State has revolving restaurants. The restaurant with a capacity of 600 persons and has modern facilities and attractive interiors. The project was named after a woman – Bodhi Siri – a follower of Buddha and also the person who propagated Buddhism throughout India. Bodhi Siri had built the great Buddha Stupa at Nagarjuna Konda.

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