A roundtable on house construction and real estate sector conducted by CPI (M) here on Saturday deplored attempts by the government to involve foreign companies in the construction of the Capital city of Amaravati.
The meeting resolved to request the government to make a change in the A.P Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act that would protect the powers conferred on local bodies by the 73rd and 74th Constitution amendments. The participants also demanded that the Capital City Master Plan be finalised after due consultations with the public and other local stakeholders. For this purpose, the government should form a citizens’ committee and give the master plan a final shape only after sorting out a host of issues concerning people. The CRDA, which is currently acting on the ‘proposed master plan’, should take the citizens’ committee into confidence while taking important decisions.
Addressing the meeting, CPM (I) Capital Region Committee Convener Ch. Babu Rao said the government was denying permission for layouts and construction of houses in the name of ‘agriculture protection zone’ and asked if the same norm was not applicable when 30,000-plus acres were pooled for the Capital.
“It is nothing but a ploy to allot lands to real estate businessmen who are either members of the ruling party or are close to MPs and MLAs. While clamping down on the residential layouts, which are in the advanced stages of approval, officials entrusted the business of raising layouts for government buildings in the seed capital to a couple of Singapore companies including Jurong for Rs. 13 crore as if local realtors are incapable of doing the same job,” Mr. Babu Rao alleged.
He questioned the need for four helipads at Uddandarayanipalem which, he said, were meant to facilitate the landing of choopers carrying VVIPs for the event. “No capital in the world is spread in 8,300 sq km like our Capital is sought to be by the government,” he added. Nagamalleswara Rao, a builder, said foreign companies were welcome but the government should apply its mind when it comes to the survival of local stakeholders.
