The Chief Minister alleged that TDP had earlier laid the foundation stone for the airport just two months before the Assembly elections in 2019, without even obtaining any land permits.

news Politics Wednesday, May 03, 2023 - 20:23
Written by  TNM Staff

Amid Opposition’s allegations that the YSRCP is staging an election gimmick by re-laying foundation stones that were already laid by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy laid foundation stones for the Bhogapuram International Airport in Vizianagaram and the Adani Data Centre in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, May 3. The CM also laid the foundation for the irrigation project Tarakarama Thirtha Sagaram, and Chintapalli Fish Land Centre in Vizianagaram. On the occasion, he condemned the Opposition’s claim that he was laying the stones as a gimmick.

Addressing the crowd at the event, CM Jagan alleged that TDP had laid the foundation stone for the airport just two months before the Assembly elections in 2019, without even obtaining any land permits. “They deceived the public by doing this. Our YSRCP government has secured all necessary permits for the airport. No such plot can hinder progress as long as the public is with us,” he said.

According to an official press release, Andhra Pradesh Airport Development Corporation (APADCL) will work with GMR Group to develop the international airport at Bhogapuram in a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The construction of the 2,203-acre airport is expected to be completed in 36 months at an estimated cost of Rs 4,592 crores. Meanwhile, the Adani group’s data centre, also known as the Vizag Tech Park, is an integrated data centre-technology-business park that will come up in Madhurawada of Visakhapatnam at a projected cost of Rs 21,844 crore. 

On February 14, 2019, former CM Chandrababu Naidu had laid the foundation stone for both the Bhogapuram Airport and the Adani Data Centre. Leaders of the Opposition TDP had recently questioned why CM Jagan was laying the foundation stone for these projects when Chandrababu Naidu had already done it. At a press conference on Sunday, former TDP MLA Ganta Srinivas Rao alleged that this is a gimmick before the elections.

“In the past four years, the YSRCP government gave least attention to the data centre and the airport. Now, as the elections draw near, the CM is suddenly laying foundation stones. Besides, how can the government finish these projects if it is unable to properly pay its employees’ salaries on the first of every month?” he questioned.

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