Velagapudi decked up for new start

Vijayawada: Velagapudi a nondescript village, is all set to buzz with new activity. It is set to be a part of new history with the State beginning administration from the temporary Secretariat coming up in the village.

The six-block complex of the new Secretariat is getting ready with two floors each to accommodate the staff, besides the office of the Chief Minister.

The complex would also host the next session of the Assembly and Council, as per the programme decided by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The Chief Minister made a couple of visits to assess the arrangements for the formal beginning of the administration from the new capital. If everything goes well as per the plan, the officers and the staff of the State Secretariat would start working from this place from June 27.

The work on laying pipelines for drinking water is nearing completion and would be ready by the deadline. The sewerage works too are nearing completion, while road widening and alternative road works are in full swing. The officials have made arrangements for transportation of the employees from Vijayawada and Guntur.

APSRTC was asked to run special buses, two from Guntur and Tadepalli and five from Vijayawada to the new secretariat building.
The State government announced a five-day week for the staff coming to the new capital.

The employees and officers were asked to find houses in and around Vijayawada and even in the 29 capital villages, besides Mangalagiri and Tadepalli.

A dozen Ministers have already set their offices and residences in Vijayawada and Guntur, while a couple of Statelevel offices have come in the last two weeks.

The APSRTC had come here long back establishing its headquarters – RTC House – at the Pundit Nehru Bus Station complex.

The State Fire services Department and State Disaster Mitigation wing also established their headquarters close to the RTC House. The DGP established his camp office in Vijayawada close to the Chief Minister’s Camp Office.

The Fisheries Department moved to Penamaluru on the outskirts of Vijayawada, while the Agriculture and Marketing Departments have relocated in Guntur city.

The Animal Husbandry, Transport, Panchayat Raj and Roads and Buildings Departments are set to occupy the new buildings coming up on the own premises between veterinary hospital junction to the zilla parishad guest house on M G Road in Vijayawada.

The other departments are on the lookout for the suitable accommodation and move before August 31.
The employees and senior officers have already found accommodation on sharing basis with colleagues.

The local members of the APNGOs association had reserved the apartments in the city and along the National Highway at Tadepalli and Gollapudi for the staff.

“There is no second thought on shifting and starting administration in the new capital from June 27. By August 31, the employees would come to the new capital as decided,” asserted the APNGOs senior leader A Vidya Sagar.

Ministers Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, P Narayana, Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao, Kollu Ravindra and Kamineni Srinivas have established offices in Vijayawada and other Prathipati Pulla Rao and Ravela Kishore Babu have their own offices in Guntur. The others are likely to relocate in the new capital by end of August.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that the Chief Minister may not be in the capital, when the administration begins functioning from June 27.

Naidu is scheduled to leave for China tour on June 26. However, it is to be seen whether the Chief Minister would also occupy his office in the new secretariat on the same day along with the staff or would come at a later date.

By:D Gopi