Vizag civic body issues showcause notice to YSRCP over construction of party offices without permission

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has served notices to YSRCP over construction of district offices of the party in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts without obtaining required permissions from the civic body. Construction of both buildings has been completed, with the party’s Visakhapatnam office already inaugurated and functioning. The previous YSRCP government had allotted land parcels to build party offices in all districts across the state. Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli districts also got the land parcels and party offices were constructed. However, the district leadership or land title holders did not obtain the required building plan approvals. They simply applied for approvals but did not pay the fees to get them.Notice was issued to Visakhapatnam district YSRCP office by zone II town planning officer S Vara Prasada Rao on Saturday under sections 452 (1) and 461 (1) of APMC Act, 1955. He mentioned in the notice that the holder of the premises applied for building permission to VMRDA instead of GVMC, though the site falls under GVMC limits. Though the file is ‘under scrutiny’ at VMRDA, the holder of the premises proceeded with unauthorised construction of RCC ground building and first floor in an extent of two acres. The town planning officer instructed the holder of the premises to send a reply to the showcause notice within a week and stop all construction work immediately.Around two acres of land under survey number 175/4 at Yendada village in Visakha rural mandal (Chinnagadili) was allocated by the previous govt to build its district office in Visakhapatnam. However, instead of seeking approval from GVMC, local leaders paid an application fee of 10,000 to VMRDA, of which the district collector is the chairman. They did not pursue the building plan after paying the fee, but went ahead with the construction.Following a complaint from local Jana Sena leaders, town planning officers inspected the YSRCP office recently and found that no permission was obtained for the construction work. After coming to know about the development, YSRCP leaders are said to have paid 14 lakh on Thursday (June 19) for further processes. Jana Sena leader Peetala Murthy Yadav then lodged another complaint and the process was stopped by VMRDA officials.YSRCP leader and former IT and industries minister Gudivada Amarnath visited the party’s district office at Yendada on Saturday and removed the notice pasted on the office wall. “Red Book constitution is being implemented in AP. TDP allotted many sites to build its party offices. We applied for plan approval in Feb 2023. We paid 15.63 lakh and another 30 lakh later. We have mortgaged the first floor also. If it is in yards, we would have approached GVMC, but the land parcel is in acres and its conversation has not taken place. Therefore we approached VMRDA. False allegations and propaganda are being spread by the ruling party. We will protect our party offices as per law,” he said.The issue with YSRCP’s Anakapalli office is more or less the same, and the application has been ‘under scrutiny’ for 351 days. The office is on 1.75 acres of land in 75/3 survey number which was originally allotted to Kapu corporation. It was allotted to YSRCP in 2022 to construct its Anakapalli district office.