Approvals elude Chandrababu Naidu’s house plans in Kuppam

Kuppam (Chittoor dist): Former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu found himself facing an unexpected roadblock in his plans to build a house in his own constituency, Kuppam. Despite representing Kuppam since 1989 and being elected seven times consecutively, Naidu had never had his own residence there. He usually stayed at the R&B guest house during his visits.

However, after the 2019 elections and the subsequent civic polls, Naidu started feeling the pressure from the ruling party leaders who criticised him for not having a house in his own constituency. Determined to address the criticism and strengthen his connection with the people, Naidu purchased two acre land near Sivapuram in Santhipuram mandal, along the Kuppam-Palamaner national highway, about a year ago.

In order to start construction, Naidu’s PA P Manohar promptly applied for the necessary approvals from the Palamaner-Kuppam-Madanapalle Urban Development Authority (PKM UDA). Despite completing the required surveys and submitting all the necessary documentation, the authorities seemed hesitant to give their permission, bringing the construction work to a standstill at the compound wall stage.

Surprised and frustrated, the local party leaders sought answers from the PKM UDA and the Directorate of Country and Town Planning (DTCP), but received no concrete response. The construction materials, including cement and bricks, lay unused for six months, leading the cement to harden. The party cadres believed that the officials were deliberately delaying the approvals due to political reasons.

In an attempt to push the authorities into action, it was learnt that Manohar issued legal notices to the PKM UDA and the DTCP in February. However, the delay continued, leading the party’s constituency coordination committee president MLC Dr Kancharla Srikanth to publicly accuse the government of intentionally stalling the approvals for Naidu’s house construction.

Determined to expedite the process, Naidu is expected to personally confront the officials during his upcoming visit to Kuppam. He hoped that his presence and influence would spur them into action and finally grant the necessary permissions for his long-awaited house.

If the officials continued to deny the approvals, the party cadres were even prepared for a confrontation with the government over this matter. They believed that obtaining permission for Naidu’s house construction was not just a mere bureaucratic hurdle but a political battle they were ready to fight.