Round-table vows to fight against old bus stand land transfer

Vijayawada: A united movement is brewing in Vijayawada against the State government’s decision to hand over the Old Bus Stand land to Lulu Group. A roundtable meeting organised by the Vijayawada Civic Forum (Poura Vedika) resolved to continue protests until Government Order (GO) No 137, which facilitates this transfer, is rescinded.

As part of this resolve, a dharna is slated for August 6 at the Old Bus Stand. The meeting also announced the formation of an ‘RTC Assets Protection Committee,’ with Sunkara Rajendra Prasad (SRP), national working president of AILU, elected as its convener. This proposal was put forth by Donepudi Kasinath, State leader of AP Urban Citizens Federation and unanimously approved by the attendees.

The roundtable, held at Balotsav Bhavan in Vijayawada on Thursday, was presided over by MV Anjaneyulu, secretary of the Taxpayers Association.

Former Minister Vadde Sobhanadriswara Rao asserted that the “auctioning of government assets is against the law.” He called for a combined legal and public struggle against GO 137, which he termed “unfortunate and wrong.” He highlighted that the 4.5 acres of the Old Bus Stand, valued at hundreds of crores, along with 14 acres of RTC land in Visakhapatnam, are being given away to the foreign multinational company ‘Lulu’ at an extremely low price.

Former Mayor Dr Jandyala Sankar expressed worry that the sale of government land, including valuable RTC properties, to private companies for mere monetary gain disregards environmental protection and public welfare.

Sunkara Rajendra Prasad (SRP) stated that legal and public struggles are crucial against the coalition government’s move to hand over lakhs of acres of agricultural land, alongside RTC properties, to corporate and large companies, all against public opinion.

Chigurupati Babu Rao, State Convener of AP Urban Citizens Federation, called for a broad-based united movement involving intellectuals, prominent citizens, RTC unions, other civic bodies, and various sections of society to protect the Vijayawada Old Bus Stand and other RTC properties, ensuring the survival of small and medium-scale traders. He emphasised that selling the RTC land to Lulu is tantamount to selling Vijayawada city itself.

Damodar, from the RTC Employees Union (EU), Sundaraiah, State President of the SWF, Laxman Reddy, leader of the Janachaitanya Vedika, Konakalla Vidyadhara Rao, former president of the Chamber of Commerce, Venkateswara Reddy (Hotels Owners Association), K Keshav Rao (Farmers’ Association State leader), Sampara Srinivas (AILU District Secretary), Murahari (RTC Pensioners’ Association leader), V Sambireddy (Taxpayers Association leader), and Bhavani Prasad expressed their commitment to participating in the movements organised by the RTC Protection Forum.