Official apathy hits Buggavanka beautification

Kadapa: The beautification of Buggavanka located in Kadapa city seems to be remain a dream for the people since last one decade following lack of clarity among official machinery and other several reasons. Politicians are using this issue as an election promise and later they are least bothered about it.

As per the official records, the State government has sanctioned Rs 33.54 crore for the beautification of Buggavanka project in 2006. As part of the project, 8,400 metres length protection wall, 6 high level bridges, 2 footpath bridges to be constructed in time bound manner.

The tender was awarded to one Hyderabad company, which quoted 20 per cent less amount against the total cost of Rs 33.54 crore of the project. However, the company dropped in the middle after doing some work by saying that it was not profitable due to escalation of raw material. With the intervention of one ruling party leader into the issue, the project cost was increased to Rs 55 crore with revised estimations and fresh tenders were called in 2008.

Another company was awarded the project works, which quoted 29 per cent excess amount against total cost of the project. It is learnt, three ruling party leaders allegedly taken Rs 6 crore bribe for sanctioning the works to that company.

However, the company failed to complete the project after completion protection wall upto 1200 metres following encroachments in the area. Municipal officials said incompletion of underground drainage works is one of main reasons for not completing Buggavanka beautification.

The underground pipeline works in two areas which were proposed to be constructed through Buggavanka leads to delay in executing the beautification works. “We have already served notices to house owners who encroached the government sites in surrounding areas of Buggavanka,” an
official said.

By M Srinivasa Rao