Allaying the concerns of the public and the civil society over losing the city’s only largest public space Swaraj Maidan to private players, Municipal Commissioner J. Nivas on Saturday made it clear that the open space would remain as it was.
He said it would be available to the public without any restriction even after the ground was turned into ‘City Square’.
At a press conference here, Mr. Nivas said, “Basically the concept of the city square is to provide open space for the public. So, invariably it will remain an open space which can be used by the public in all possible ways.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ownership with government
“While the existing open space — 80% of the total planning area, remains open for public — the remaining, where there is a State guest house and other built up area, will be handed over to private parties who would develop the City Square. There will be star hotels and facilities. Beneath the open space, there would be a shopping complex on the lines of the Palika Bazaar in New Delhi,” he said. The ownership would be held by the government.
“So far this is the proposal from our side. With the AP Urban Infrastructure Asset Management Ltd (APUIAML) as consultant and the VMC as the executive authority, we have called for request for quotation from interested parties that could develop the space into City Square. Plans will be finalised once all other things are discussed,” Mr. Nivas said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We are expecting the work related to open space including the underground shopping complex to be completed in about 18 months from the starting day of the project.”
However, the Square would have chargeable areas where private entities would provide various services like gaming zones, food and others.
Chinese firm’s plans scrapped?
It could be understood that the plans and the designs drafted by China’s Guizhou International Investment Corporation (GIIC) had been scrapped for reasons not known. The State government had released attractive designs and plans pertaining to the development of the Square and also announced shifting of the Rythu Bazaar. The cost of the 26-acre land was estimated to be ₹1,200 crore as per the basic land value. The cost of the project was estimated to be anywhere between ₹100 and ₹300 crore.