Visakhapatnam’s famed Mudasarlova Park to be developed under PPP mode; municipal corporation to fund overhaul of Poorna Market

Alleging that the park would end up being controlled by YSRCP members, Opposition members stage sit-in demanding that the agenda not be passed

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), in a significant development, withdrew its previous proposal to develop Poorna Market under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. Instead, the corporation has decided to undertake the development of the decades-old market using its own funds. The revised proposal was presented and approved unanimously during Wednesday’s council meeting without any objections.

However, amid heated debates and stiff opposition, the council passed the controversial proposal to develop the historical Mudasarlova Park through the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Members of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) expressed concerns that the park might end up being taken over by YSRCP leaders due to the PPP mode of development.

Opposition leaders surrounded the podium of the Mayor demanding that the agenda not be passed, and staged a sit-in raising slogans in support of their demands. Heated arguments ensued between some TDP and YSRCP leaders. However, Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari announced the approval of the proposal with the majority of the council voting in its favour.

Corporators from TDP alleged that most of the development activities approved by the council were in Arilova and Hanumanthuwaka, which is the constituency of the Mayor, wth other regions being ‘completely neglected’. The corporators alleged that close to ₹3 crore was allotted for the construction of a community hall, repairs of footpaths, developing vacant spaces, construction of additional building blocks in East constituency, especially in Ward 11 and 12, in the neighbourhood of the Mayor’s residence.

There were also heated discussions when a proposal seeking ₹1.24 crore was brought before the council to purchase soaps and coconut oil for outsourcing sanitation workers. Opposition corporators alleged that at a time when the sanitation workers lacked basic safety gear and equipment, the GVMC is now proposing to offer coconut oil and soaps.

TDP corporators reminded the Mayor that last year, the GVMC had passed a proposal to purchase soaps and oil at an estimated budget of ₹64 crore. Till now, those supplies were not provided to the staff, they said, demanding her to dismiss the proposal.