Praja Vedika demolished amid tight security

About 50 workers and at least two earthmovers were involved in pulling down the structure, and they removed the entire building except a few parts of it by Wednesday evening.

The Praja Vedika being demolished at Undavalli in Guntur district.

The Praja Vedika at Undavalli, near here, which was a beehive of activity during the TDP regime, has almost been razed, as Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy quickly translated his resolve to demolish it, into action citing flagrant violation of River Conservancy Act.

About 50 workers and at least two earthmovers were involved in pulling down the structure, and they removed the entire building except a few parts of it by Wednesday evening.

CRDA Additional Commissioner Vijaya Krishnan told

The Hindu the demolition was almost complete. The facility was demolished on a mission mode under the supervision of top officials of A.P.-Capital Region Development Authority (AP-CRDA) amid tight security, as the government’s decision to knock down the hall, which was built at a cost of ₹8.9 crore right next to the then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s residence on the banks of river Krishna.

‘Foolish act’

The TDP leaders described it as a “foolish act” and demanded that the government crack the whip on all such illegal constructions situated on the same side of the river bank.

Apprehending trouble, the police did not allow anyone on the Karakatta road except the government officials concerned and leaders of the TDP who went for a meeting with Mr. Naidu during that time. Praja Vedika is an auditorium built by Mr. Naidu for hearing the people’s grievances and holding official and party meetings.

Mr. Jagan ordered its demolition while addressing a meeting of District Collectors at the same venue two days ago, saying it was an unauthorised construction built on the banks of the Krishna. Officials of the CRDA had since acted briskly.

By the time Mr. Naidu returned from his vacation in Europe late on Tuesday night, a sizeable portion of the building was already taken out.

HC declines stay

The High Court refused to grant stay on the demolition of Praja Vedika. It concurred with Advocate-General Subrahmanyam Sriram’s view that governments were supposed to abide by the “public trust doctrine” that mandated State action for effective management of resources.

The court asserted that when the petitioner, P. Srinivasa Rao, who had sought the stopping of the demolition, agreed that the structure was illegal, there was no justification of public interest in his plea. However, it said the appeal for recovering the cost of construction from those who got the hall built in alleged violation of rules would be looked into. The hearing was adjourned by two weeks.