ONGOLE: Demanding speedy completion of Veligonda project, former YSRC MP YV Subba Reddy will take out a padayatra from August 15. Disclosing details of his padayatra to newsmen here on Sunday, Subba Reddy, along with YSRC district president Balineni Srinivasa Reddy, said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had been lying for the past four years about the progress of Veligonda project, which is the lifeline of people of Prakasam district.
“Though review meetings on the irrigation project are being held every week, there has been virtually no progress in the works. In the last four years, not even 4 km of the tunnel has been completed, which shows the inefficiency of the Chandrababu Naidu government. Now, they say they will complete the tunnel works in the next six months. Is it believable?” the former Ongole MP questioned.
He said though the foundation stone for the project was laid by Naidu during his first tenure as the Chief Minister, it was YS Rajasekhara Reddy who spent Rs3,500 crore on Veligonda project works.
Naidu promised to complete the project within one year in the 2014 election if his party came to power in the State.
During the Chief Minister’s visit to Dornala in 2015, he promised to get the first phase completed by September 2016. When he visited Rayavaram in 2016, the project deadline was extended to January 2017. During his recent visit to Darsi, he once again extended the project deadline to December 2018, he explained.
The former MP questioned the TDP government on what basis should people believe the assurances of Naidu. “It is a known fact that some of the projects works had come to a halt as the State government failed to clear the power bills,” he said.
Padayatra from August 15
YV Subba Reddy will commence his padayatra from Kanigiri Assembly constituency on August 15
The former YSR Congress MP will cover a total distance of 207 km in Kanigiri, Giddalur, Markapuram and Yerragondapalem Assembly constituencies of Prakasam district during his 15-day walkathon.