The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a long association with Visakhapatnam starting with Mayor NSN Reddy, who was the first Mayor of the city way back in 1981. He was instrumental in the preparation of the Master Plan for Visakhapatnam four decades ago, according to BJP State President D. Purandeswari.
The BJP president is touring all districts in Andhra Pradesh as part of the party’s strategy to create awareness among the people about the funds being sanctioned by the Centre to the State for various infrastructure projects and other development activities, and thereby strengthen the party from the grass root-level.
Addressing a media conference in Visakhapatnam on December 19, Ms. Purandeswari said that she has already completed touring around 20 districts in A.P. and was planning to cover the remaining districts in the next few days. She recalled that Visakhapatnam was also part of the ‘Golden Qaudrilateral’, initiated by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, for widening of the National Highways in the country into 4-lanes.
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The 4-lane road had eased the traffic woes to a large extent in the city. She recalled that as Visakhapatnam MP in the past (during the Congress government), she had impressed upon the Union government and ₹854 crore sanctioned for construction of flyovers on the National Highway, which was passing through the city. She said that the then State government had failed to acquire the land required for the purpose and the funds had lapsed.
The BJP government has now sanctioned the Anakapalli – Anandapuram bypass and gave funds. She alleged that the present government has not bothered about construction of flyovers on the National Highway, passing through the city.
She alleged that the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) government was not interested in the development of Visakhapatnam city but on the lands in the city. Rushikonda was converted into ‘bodi konda’ (hill without trees)
Ms. Purandeswari said that the BJP government has sanctioned ₹695 crore for various modernisation works in Waltair Division. She attributed the delay in the construction of South Coast Railway zonal headquarters to the delay in handing over of the land by the State government. When asked that the Railway officials could have coordinated with the District Collector and the Revenue officials to iron out the issues, with regard to a small stretch of land at Mudasarlova, she insisted that it was the task of the State government.
