Visakhapatnam: The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) misled the AP High Court on the Kailasagiri foothill excavations by saying it was for expanding the parking lot and not for erecting shopping complexes.
As documents testify, VMRDA floated a tender notification three months ago for allotment of shops at various places all over Visakhapatnam city including the Kailasagiri parking lot on auction basis.
At Kailasagiri parking space, the notification said four vacant land parcels of each measuring 31.4 square yards were available. It was clearly mentioned in the brackets that their location was the car parking area. Three sites were in the general category and one was reserved for the SCs. One shop location was right behind the Tenneti Park Bus Bay.
Jana Sena leader and GVMC corporator PLN Murthy Yadav, who filed a public interest litigation in the high court, obtained a stay on the excavation works. He said VMRDA has already entered into an agreement and collected the deposit money from the allottees.
"Even after the stay was granted, the contractor went on excavating the area at high speed. He stopped this recently when he noticed someone was taking pictures. I am planning to file a contempt petition against the continuation of the works even after getting the stay,” Murthy said.
Meanwhile, the district mines and geology officer tried to wash his hands of the law violation after the high court issued the stay orders. “We did not give any permission for excavation in the parking area,” he said.
In his letter to the VMRDA commissioner, a copy of which was sent to the media on Tuesday, he said his office did not issue any permission for the excavations at the Kaialsagiri foothills under Survey 150 of Chinnagadili village and mandal in Visakhapatnam district, under VMRDA.
“When our office requested the commissioner, VMRDA, to furnish the details of permissions issued for the excavations near Tenneti Park, the commissioner replied that the district collector, who is in charge commissioner of VMRDA, had instructed them to widen the existing parking space to accommodate more ‘four and two wheelers’ and to avoid roadside parking by visitors.
“Accordingly, VMRDA has taken up work to widen the existing parking opposite Tenneti park and to take up certain refurbishment works in the park for the convenience of visitors. The work is entrusted to a contractor,” he said.
He said that as per his information, the excavated earth was spread in low-lying areas in Visakha Valley School and the parking areas near the YSR view point at Seethakonda.
The VMRDA commissioner admitted that the widened portion will be earmarked for parking only. No construction, as alleged, for commercial complexes would be taken up there, he stressed.
