The government’s decision to use the Swaraj Maidan (PWD grounds) as the main venue for hosting the ongoing Amaravati Shopping Festival (ASF) has led to speculation that the much-hyped City Square project may get dropped.
“The proposed City Square project at PWD grounds is very much on,” said Krishna District Collector Babu A.
The plan envisages expansion of the ground by clearing many government and private structures. The new ‘iconic’ structure is proposed to be built under the public-private partnership initiative.
The Collector said the Guizhou International Investment Corporation of China (GIIC) had designed the concept plan. “The government is studying the RFP (Request for Proposal). The space allotted for implementation of the City Square will be much more than what it is seen at the PWD ground now,” said the Collector.
According to the earlier plan, the project was proposed to be developed at a cost of Rs. 135 crore. Releasing the designs submitted by the representatives of the GIIC at a media conference, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had called it ‘a jewel in Andhra Pradesh crown’. He had said the project, when realised, would become a large tourist attraction.
Shopping fest
For now, the sprawling ground is hosting the first-ever shopping festival which, the officials claim, would become a calendar event. While people visiting the exhibition venues don’t seem to be much impressed saying there is nothing much to shop around except a few food courts, the officials insist that “there is a very good response.”
“Yesterday (Tuesday), nearly 45,000 people visited the event at PWD grounds, while similar carnivals being held at Punnami and Padmavathi ghats saw close to 10,000 footfalls,” said Mr. Babu.
“A common feature of such shopping festivals is that they take some time to gain momentum,” he said. The organisers say 300-odd shop owners in malls and other showrooms outside the festival venues have enrolled for the event.
People buying stuff at these shops are being given coupons and attractive prizes are doled out through draw of lots on a daily basis. This is in addition to mega bumper prizes that will be given at the end of the festival.
Guizhou International Investment Corporation of China has designed the concept plan.
Babu A.
District Collector
