Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader and former Minister Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy has demanded extension of the deadline for filing of objections to the draft master plan of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) and warned that the TDP will approach the High Court if the demand is not conceded.
The TDP leader demanded that the VMRDA officials convene a meeting with representatives of all political parties, MLAs, corporators and sarpanches to discuss the issue. The draft plan was intended to protect the properties of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders while targetting those of the Opposition leaders, besides giving ample scope for the ruling party leaders to indulge in corruption, Mr. Murthy alleged at a media conference here on Wednesday.
Alleging that the red, green and buffer zones were marked by the officials, as per the directions of the ruling party leaders, Mr. Murthy said that the officials should go by the rules but not to please the ruling party leaders in the preparation of the master plan. The draft plan provides for wide roads, where they were not needed but the officials had permitted construction of a multi-storeyed building in a narrow lane at Kurmannapalem as it belongs to a ruling party leader, he alleged
He alleged that one of two corporators, who had complained against violation at Kurmannapalem, was admitted into the YSRCP in a bid to silence him. He alleged that even patta lands were being converted into green belt in a bid to enable the ruling party leaders to mint money from the patta holders by exerting force.
The TDP leader said that VMRDA Master Plan should be based on needs of the people and to facilitate future expansion of the city. Master Plan roads would be required in Pharma City, SEZs or the Atchutapuram – Parawada. He alleged that the draft plan was intended to encourage corruption at the planning stage itself.
