GVMC council forms committee with corporators to investigate irregularities in stadium construction and maintenance in Visakhapatnam

Jana Sena Party (JSP) corporator P.L.V.N. Murthy objected to spending ₹16 crore for renovation of the Swarna Bharathi Indoor Stadium at Resapuvanipalem in Visakhapatnam
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGMENT

Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) council has decided to form a committee involving corporators from all parties to check the functioning and inquire into alleged irregularities committed during the construction of the sports stadiums and auditoriums. The decision was taken during the GVMC council meeting, headed by Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari and GVMC Commissioner P. Sampath Kumar, here on Wednesday.

The corporators will also study whether the existing stadiums which are under private maintenance can be taken back by the corporation to enable people to use them at minimum price. The committee will check ongoing renovation works of stadiums and whether the stadiums under private maintenance are paying the leases properly.

The decision was taken by the Mayor following heated discussions and displeasure expressed by the corporators over the prices being charged by the existing stadiums and their maintenance. The issue was raised when the GVMC has introduced a proposal seeking increase in the rental charges in the stadiums, for which most of the corporators objected.

CPI(M) Corporator (Ward 78) B. Ganga Rao said that increasing the charges will discourage budding sportsmen from utilising the services of the corporation. He said that the proposed prices will not be affordable for people hailing from middle class and the poor.

“The main motto of the GVMC to construct stadiums is to offer them to the people at affordable prices. But here, we are offering it to private persons, who are charging a bomb,” he said.

TDP corporator and Deputy floor leader Gandham Srinivasa Rao alleged irregularities in handing over MVP Sports Arena to private persons without calling for tenders. He alleged that during the inaugural, none of the political representatives, even the corporator or the Mayor, was invited.

Jana Sena Party (JSP) corporator P.L.V.N. Murthy objected to spending ₹16 crore for renovation of the Swarna Bharathi Indoor Stadium at Resapuvanipalem, without even informing the council members.

“If additionally ₹5 to ₹10 crore is spent, a new stadium can be constructed. Even some percentage of bills were also paid to the contractors. Why the payment is made without informing the council members,” he questioned.

TDP corporator Bommidi Ramana urged the GVMC to develop green belt with gym equipment and walking tracks for health of people.

TDP corporator Routhu Srinivas has alleged that corporation has failed to develop sports amenities in the 37 merged villages in Bheemunipatnam, Madhurawada, Anakapalli and Pendurthi.

The corporators from the NDA also alleged irregularities in hiring around 170 contract staff in Water Supply, Underground Drainage (UGD) and Engineering wings during the year 2019 by the previous YSRCP government. They alleged that some authorities with the support of the YSRCP corporators have collected lakhs for giving jobs in the wing. The issue was raised when the GVMC proposed increase in salaries of the contract workers working under the corporation since the year 2014. The NDA leaders informed that they do not object to salary hike, but demand constitution of a committee to check the irregularities.

Meanwhile, some of the corporators from the NDA have also objected to taking up works in Ward 6 of Zone II.

JSP floor leader B. Vasantha Lakshmi said that Ward 6 corporator rarely attends the council meetings, but the GVMC proposes number of development works in her ward, ignoring other wards.