Pawan Kalyan slams 'waste' of Rs 453 crore on Rushikonda project, calls it 'burden' on Andhra govt

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Friday alleged that Rs 453 crore of public money was wasted on the Rushikonda buildings project, calling it a "financial burden" on the state government.

He was referring to the controversial palatial mansion built on Rushikonda Hill in Vizag, which replaced tourism villas during the previous YSRCP regime.

Kalyan inspected Rushikonda and reviewed the construction quality, costs, and current management with officials.

"Rs 453 crore of public money was wasted on the Rushikonda buildings, which have become a financial burden on the state government," he claimed at a press conference.

Kalyan claimed that resorts earlier generating Rs 7 crore annually were demolished, forcing the state to now spend over Rs 1 crore a year solely on electricity bills.

He accused the previous YSRCP government of "constructing luxury structures" for Jagan Mohan Reddy's residence in violation of environmental norms, adding that the buildings had already "suffered damage due to poor maintenance."

Kalyan said proposals would soon be sent to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to convert the structures into a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) hub or a destination weddings venue.

He further alleged that funds were diverted from Transco, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), and the Horticulture and Tourism departments to finance the project, including nearly Rs 40 crore spent on interiors and excavation of 8.48 lakh cubic metres of soil, causing environmental damage.

The issue remains pending before the National Green Tribunal, the High Court, and the Supreme Court for assessment of environmental violations and accountability, he claimed.

There was no immediate reaction from Jagan Mohan Reddy.