more-in Activists of the CPI(M) staged a demonstration at the newly built Vidyut Soudha at Gunadala here on Sunday in protest against the Tourism Department’s plans to take over the vacant land there belonging to the AP-Transco, for building a convention centre and star hotel. CPI(M) Capital Region Committee convener Ch. Babu Rao said the Tourism Department had got the land surveyed as the Government apparently wanted to give away a portion of its own prime property (measuring about 10 acres in the heart of Vijayawada city) being utilised by the Transco for several decades, for tourism projects on a public-private partnership model. Hitherto, the AP-Transco had its zonal and circle office buildings located in its premises at Gunadala where the head office buildings of AP-Genco and AP-Transco are now being constructed on about five acres. The land on which the Tourism Department has set its sights has facilities belonging to the AP-Transco and also A.P. Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (AP-SPDCL), like sub-stations, stores, a training centre and other installations. If the Tourism Department manages to get the land transferred to it, the power utilities have to move out to some other location, probably to a place far away from the city due to land scarcity. Another threat Mr. Babu Rao said the Tourism Department also began moves to get the AP-Transco and AP-SPDCL to vacate their land at the Rajiv Gandhi Park where they have substations and other facilities, to pave the way for some tourism projects. The protesters demanded that the Government should give up the proposed handing over of its lands in the city to private companies in the name of development thereby forcing its departments to scout for alternative sites which are costly.

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