RTC opposes APIIC move to allot Governorpet depot land to Lulu Group in Vijayawada
After the TDP-led NDA came to power in the State, the UAE-based Lulu Group revived its interest in investing Rs 1,222 crore to establish shopping malls and hypermarkets in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada.
An MoU was signed with the State government, promising to create employment opportunities for nearly 2,000 people in the two cities. In line with this plan, the government recently instructed the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) to hand over 13.43 acres of land on Beach Road to APIIC for leasing it to Lulu Group.
'Alternative site not feasible for RTC operations'
Subsequently, APIIC had identified the Governorpet-II RTC depot in Vijayawada as a potential site for another commercial venture.
Located beside the Ryves Canal, the Governorpet-II depot RTC houses buses from the adjacent Governorpet-I depot, and accommodates administrative offices. APIIC Managing Director Abhishek Kishore has formally requested APSRTC Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao to allot the land to Lulu Group.
However, APSRTC officials have raised red flag. 'We are not in favour of handing over this strategically significant property, currently valued at around Rs 300 crore. The alternative site in Gollapudi is not operationally feasible for us,' a senior official told TNIE on the condition of anonymity.
'Ironically, the proposed site is unsuitable for Lulu Group's commercial operations due to its narrow shape with a canal on one side, and the busy Eluru Road on the other,' sources maintained.
Adding to the complexity, a portion of the depot was previously converted into a sculpture park using iron scrap by the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. Sources indicate that this area could also be bundled into the proposed land allocation.
It may be recalled that the Governorpet-II RTC depot once served as the primary bus stand in Vijayawada before the construction of Pandit Nehru Bus Station (PNBS) in 1990 during the reign of the then Chief Minister NT Rama Rao.
If APIIC's proposal materialises, the depot will be a thing of history, marking an end of the city's landmarks.
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