VUDA Harita Victims Forum and Harita Allottees Association have opposed any move to increase the cost of flats allotted to them. Forum convener G. A.N. Bhukta and advisor and former vice-chancellor of Acharya Nagarjuna University V. Balamohandas demanded that 14 per cent interest be paid on the instalments so far remitted by them since November 2011 when the project was scheduled to be completed just as VUDA collected penal fee from the allottees for delayed payment.
At a press conference on the eve of VUDA Board meeting, Prof. Bhukta demanded that the quality assured to them in the ‘Singapore class township’ should be maintained and expressed apprehension that the structures might have been affected owing to the long gap in construction. He suggested that several members in the forum and association were experts and five among them be invited to attend VUDA meetings on the progress of the project so as to advise it.
Dr. Das and secretary Y. Venkateswara Rao said several of the members have been paying hefty EMIs as well as house rents and were badly affected by the delay incurring heavy loss. They believed that as a government agency VUDA would deliver in time but were let down.
Prof. Bhukta, however, thanked the VUDA Vice-Chairman for resuming construction. Instead of 18 months from this May the project should be completed in a year to provide relief to the victims. He also thanked Minister for Investment Ganta Srinivasa Rao and Government Whip Dronamraju Srinivasa Rao for the interest they had shown in the issue and the Municipal Administration Minister M. Maheedhar Reddy for promising them all help. The forum members will meet Principal Secretary, MA &UD and VUDA Chairman S.K. Joshi who will be here for the board meeting on Saturday. P.V.G.K. Murthy expressed fears over damage the structures might have suffered owing to exposure to coastal weather and demanded that transparent remedial measures be taken to ensure quality.
