Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has instructed the officials of the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) and other line departments to explore the possibility of launching a tram-like public transport facility from Ramakrishna beach in Visakhapatnam to Bheemili and to appoint a consultant for preparing a Detailed Project Report (DPR).
This is against the backdrop of invitation of fresh tenders for the Visakhapatnam metro rail project being taken up as per the A.P. Reorganisation Act, 2014.
In a review meeting on the development works of MA&UD Department on Monday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy also sought proposals for supplying drinking water to Visakhapatnam through an underground pipeline from the Polavaram project to meet its requirements.
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These plans hold significance in the context of the government’s determination to shift the capital from Amaravati to the port city.
He further said 1.50 lakh house sites should be given under the weaker sections housing scheme in Visakhapatnam.
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Mr. Jagan ordered that a special officer be appointed to take care of development works in Mangalagiri, Tadepalli and Pulivendula municipalities and to complete the construction of the retaining wall along the Krishna river bund in Vijayawada city to put an end to flooding.
Officials of the Housing Department told the CM that reverse tenders were called for 48,608 units in urban areas whose contract value was ₹2,399 crore and a sum of ₹303 crore was saved. Reverse tendering was being extended to remaining units.
Underground drainage
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy suggested that due priority be given to the construction of underground drains in municipalities and disposal of solid waste.
The estimated cost of constructing those drains in 34 towns having more than one lakh population was approximately ₹11,180 crore. If all the 110 municipalities were to have underground drains, the cost would be roughly ₹23,040 crore.
He wanted desalination plants to be set up to make the industries use only treated water so that drinking water resources could be conserved for domestic use. If required, a law should be made for it, he stated.