Can't figure out what to do with Rs 450-crore Rushikonda Palace: Naidu

Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday said that he is unable to figure out what to do with the Rs 450-crore palatial mansion built on Rushikonda hill during the erstwhile YSRCP regime, but promised to spark a public debate over it for a logical conclusion.

The sea-view mansion overlooking the Bay of Bengal in Visakhapatnam is built with ultra luxury amenities such as Italian marble, 200 chandeliers, 12 bedrooms, multi-hued illumination and others.

The CM reminded that initially the construction of the palace was projected as a tourism project and later it was claimed to be a facility being built as a guest house for visiting dignitaries such as the Prime Minister or the President.

Accompanied by a group of NDA leaders, the chief minister visited the sea-facing empty palace for the first time today and surveyed it.

"It surprises me to see if something like this is even possible in a democratic country. Nobody would have even dreamt in their dreams. It is mind boggling that one person (Jagan Mohan Reddy) for his extravagant life and selfishness could do this. Heart shattering truths are coming out," said Naidu, addressing a press conference during his visit.

The CM said that he had visited several countries but never saw something of this magnitude.

Naidu said that everybody would be surprised and angered at the alleged recklessness of Reddy for splurging public money to build a palace like this.

At the cost of Rs 450 crore, he asserted that irrigation works of entire North Andhra could have been completed.

Questioning Reddy if he assumed himself to be a king or emperor, Naidu noted that a bathtub cost Rs 36 lakh and a commode Rs 12 lakh.

The CM identified that the entire complex was built in survey number 19 of Yendada village, housed on a 61-acre land parcel on the hill with a built up area of 13,542 sq metres in four blocks in nearly 10 acres.

Using Japanese technology, Naidu said, the hill was treated in such a fashion that landslides would never occur while the blocks were named Gajapati, Kalinga and Vengi.

Besides multiple lavish bedrooms, he said a 300-member conference hall was built in Kalinga block while the sea view is guaranteed from every place in the palace complex.

"I don't think even kings would build an office like this. I think a corridor like this does not even exist in the White House. Even the Rashtrapathi Bhavan has a smaller corridor," said Naidu.

A 100 kv power substation, 200-ton central air conditioning, fancy fans and others were some other lavish features he listed out. Naidu considered that the palace is an unviable proposition even for tourism.

Considering the alleged disregard to the exchequer, Naidu said he would furnish all the details regarding Rushikonda Palace in the public domain for people to debate this matter and see what logical conclusion he could take it to.

"Let's deliberate. After deliberation I will see to what logical conclusion it could be taken to. Let people see this as it is. I am with an open mind on what to do with this, I don't want to commit. As soon as possible, I will take action on what to do with Rushikonda Palace," he added.