PNS | Visakhapatnam
In compliance with a Government Order, a three-member committee, consisting of the Special Chief Secretary (Municipal Administration and Urban Development) Sri Lakshmi, Special Chief Secretary (Finance) SS Rawat, and Secretary (General Administration Department) Pola Bhaskar, has been tasked with the identification of appropriate transit accommodations, which includes a camp office for the Chief Minister, as well as lodgings for senior government officials in Visakhapatnam. Their mandate also encompasses overseeing various welfare and development projects in the north Andhra region.
In pursuit of these objectives, the committee recently conducted a meeting with key officials from the Visakhapatnam Metro Region Development Authority (VMRDA), District Collector A Mallikarjuna, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Saikant Varma, and Joint Collector KS Viswanathan. The meeting aimed to comprehensively discuss the development works in light of the Chief Minister’s office relocation to Vizag.
In support of the committee’s mission, the General Administration Department has issued instructions to various departments, requesting information regarding their accommodation needs, including land and office buildings. This information will be instrumental in identifying suitable accommodations.
Several potential properties have already been identified by the district administration.
Notable options include two floors within the nine-story VMRDA office, with the top floor designated for a high-ranking official. Consideration is being given to a four-storey commercial complex in Pithapuram colony, a redeveloped old municipal office building in the port area, and a Smart City building spanning 30,000 square feet along Beach Road.
The areas of Rushikonda, Madhurawada, and Yendada offer a variety of service apartments and commercial spaces that are suitable for transit accommodations. The committee is also contemplating the use of vacant buildings in IT Hills and the VMRDA commissioner’s office.
As part of their extensive search, a team of officials visited various accommodations, including apartments in Panorama Hills, villas, and individual houses in neighborhoods such as Beach Road, Lawsons Bay Colony, Visalakshinagar, Rushikonda, Vijayanagar Colony, and Sagar Nagar.
Furthermore, the committee is exploring the possibility of utilizing ready-to-occupy buildings within Andhra University for temporary purposes. A final decision regarding the selection of suitable transit accommodations in Visakhapatnam is anticipated in the near future.
