What Is The Controversy About Jagan Mohan Reddy's Lavish 'Palace on Hills' | Explained

Visakhapatnam: Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is facing intense public outrage over the revelation of the luxurious resort on Rushikonda Hill in Visakhapatnam, purportedly intended for his personal use. Following the YSRCP's recent defeat in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Polls, the TDP has accused Reddy of constructing the resort under the guise of a tourism project, allegedly violating numerous norms and costing the state exchequer Rs 500 crore. 

TDP MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao and his supporters have escalated the controversy by staging a protest at the site. 

Jagan's Palace On Hills: A Symbol of Opulence

• The Rushikonda resort has emerged as a symbol of opulence, boasting 12 bedrooms and a total built-up area of 1,41,433 square meters.
• Three luxurious palaces were constructed by carving into the tranquil Rushikonda hills, with the Jagan government reportedly spending Rs 407 crore out of the projected Rs 452 crore on the endeavor.
• Some bathrooms spanned as much as 480 square feet.
• The TDP contended that the inclusion of expansive meeting halls, one measuring 7,266 square meters, was unnecessary if the project was genuinely aimed at promoting tourism.
• The Kalinga block's first-floor meeting hall featured a chandelier worth Rs 2 lakh, with vast corridors embellished with costly imported marble and similar chandeliers.
• Additionally, the Kalinga block included a home theatre equipped with a wall-to-wall screen.
• The Gajapathi and Vengi blocks were similarly equipped. The government allocated Rs 33 crore for interior decoration and another Rs 50 crore for landscaping.
• The entire complex was equipped with central air conditioning, including the bathrooms. Notable amenities featured a dining hall with a sea view, 12 beds in each bedroom, and spa facilities within the bathrooms.   

What is The Controversy About?   

Since late 2021, the YSRCP government unveiled plans to transform the Haritha resort on Rushikonda Hill, managed by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC), into a prominent tourist destination. Subsequently, a 9.88-acre section of the resort has been cordoned off by the government, citing ongoing development activities. 

Official records indicated that the area was segmented into multiple blocks, with construction underway at an estimated cost of Rs 356.4 crore. The redevelopment project was officially inaugurated by former Tourism Minister R K Roja in February. Over the years, the TDP has raised concerns about the project's "secrecy," accusing the YSRCP of using the development as a pretext to build a ‘Raj Mahal’ for Jagan. The TDP alleges that numerous regulations have been breached in the process. 

What TDP Has Alleged? 

TDP MLA Ganta Srinivas Rao, leading an NDA delegation and media, conducted the inaugural tour of the opulent "hilltop palace" overlooking a beach on Sunday, leaving attendees in awe. If reports are to be believed, the Central Government granted CRZ (Coastal Regulatory Zone) clearance in May 2021 for a tourism project planned by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation at Rushikonda Hills.  

Rao lambasted the former government for constructing it discreetly, utilizing public funds for extravagant amenities, top-notch furnishings, elegant chandeliers, luxurious bathtubs, and other lavish features. He drew comparisons between the opulence of this structure and palaces built by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and those built closer to home, those by Gali Janardhan Reddy.

According to the TDP leader, the state government demolished green resorts dedicated to tourism on Rushikonda, which reportedly generated an annual income of up to ₹8 crore, to make way for this controversial edifice.

He further accused the state government of misleading the courts by initially labelling it as a star hotel, then as a "CM camp office," and later attempting to rebrand it as a tourism project.   

What YSRCP Said?

Dismissing all the allegations levelled by TDP, the Jagan-led party maintained that the redevelopment project was intended to boost tourism in Visakhapatnam.

“The buildings in Rushikonda are government-owned assets and not private property. They do not belong to anyone. These buildings were constructed keeping in mind the priority given to Visakhapatnam by the previous government. It is up to the present government how to use them,” the party said in a post on X.

The YSRCP asserted that the buildings were being constructed to accommodate dignitaries like the Prime Minister and President during their visits to the city.