VIZIANAGARAM: After a whirlwind tour of the city for over six hours Sunday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu asked the officials concerned to prepare an action plan for city development and promotion of ‘Brand Vizag’.
He wanted the officials to create necessary infrastructure to host the forthcoming global investors summit in January next year followed by International Fleet Review in February, scheduled to be held in the Port City.
The Chief Minister visited the Central Park near RTC Bus Station, Old-Town, Poorna Market, Convent Junction, Port area, HPCL, NAD Kotha Road, Simhachalam, Tagarapuvalasa, Bheemili and Beach road.
He asked the officials to give a new fillip to the Port City, including its beautification and infrastructure development by the end of December this year.
Chandrababu Naidu pulled up the municipal authorities over the condition of the open drainages, debris and garbage on the roadside, and also lack of tree guards in One-Town area.
He also expressed displeasure over garbage clearance in the area. It was decided to involve public on a large scale for promoting garbage collection and also ‘Clean and Green City’ concept.
The officials explained that repairs and relaying works along with beautification works were taken up on 20 major roads in the city. The beautification of NH-16 will be completed by September-end.
All steps are being taken to develop Vizag as a Smart City with the help of the USA.
Addressing reporters later, Naidu took serious view of all the pending works, which were left incomplete for several years now, and wanted the officials to find a practical solution for their completion and bring them into usage.
“The Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) was not a good proposal, but as crores of funds were spent, it should be brought under usage. The BRTS works in the city should be completed in three-four months,” he added.
During his visit to Simhachalam, the Chief Minister asked the officials concerned to sort out the row between the Endowment Department and the locals who occupied lands, for the speedy completion of the BRTS project.
The government would offer 50 per cent compensation to both the Endowments Department and the occupants.
Further, the government would conduct the elections for all municipal local bodies including Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) at the earliest. A decision over the merger of neighbouring villages in GVMC also would be completed soon, he added.
Considering that several lands belonging to the Endowments Department are under threat from land grabbers, the government is planning the identification and sale of the most vulnerable lands of the Endowments Department through open auction and deposit the income in the banks to ensure better revenue for the temples, he said.