VISAKHAPATNAM: The State government has decided to monetise 13.83 acres of land in survey No 1011 resumed by APIIC after cancellation of deal with LuLu Group in the city. The land in Harbour Park area will be sold as part of Build AP Mission after developing residential/commercial built-up areas, according to a GO issued by the government. The government has decided to develop 30 lakh sqft commercial space and it will be sold at Rs 6,800 per sqft.
It also decided to monetise three acres of revenue land in survey No 8 and 11 acres of land in survey No 39 belonging to the Health department where regional eye hospital, Health and Family Welfare Institute, training centre, DMHO office and Leprosy Institute are existing in Seethammadhara.
About 7.35 lakh sqft space will be developed in survey No 8 and it will be sold at the rate of Rs 6,000 per sqft and 27 lakh sqft space will be developed in survey No 39 and it will be sold at Rs 5,500 per sqft.
For land parcels requiring investment for development for residential and commercial usage and meant for ultimate sale, with or without rehabilitation, DPRs will be prepared by the NBCC. The previous government had entered into an agreement with Lulu group for constructing a mega mall on 13.83 acres. However, the YSRC government cancelled the agreement and resumed the land stating that there were discrepancies in the agreement.
While 10.65 acres of land belongs to APIIC, 3.4 acres of land was acquired from CMR Group. The government also issued a GO earlier to monetise 6.57 acres of land at two places in Chinagadili, one place in Aganampudi, three places in Fakirtakia and one place in Seetammadhara through e-auction.
Sale of land decried
Meanwhile, former Union energy secretary EAS Sarma, in a statement here on Saturday, said the decision to sell such valuable urban land was highly imprudent as it was against the public interest. The State government is only a trustee of the public properties on behalf of the people and, in principle, it has no right to alienate the ownership of those properties to private persons or institutions, he said.
Land in survey No 1011 measuring 13.83 acres originally proposed to be leased out to the Lulu Group. It has a logistic advantage being close to the beach and, in my view, should be allowed to continue as an open space for the public of Visakhapatnam.
Moreover, the land in question is ecologically sensitive and a portion of it is covered by CRZ restrictions. Going ahead with the sale of such a land constitutes a breach of the public trust and contempt of the court order.The GO also covers 11 acres of highly valuable land in Survey No 39 in Seethammadhara where several important government institutions are located, he said.