On 29 August 2025, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party (JSP) chief K Pawan Kalyan visited the Rushikonda buildings built by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in Visakhapatnam. He came down heavily on the previous government, terming the constructions a symbol of “lavish spending and ecological damage.”
Inspecting the site along with Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh and other JSP leaders, Pawan Kalyan pointed to glaring irregularities in the project, which was taken up at a cost of over Rs 450 crore. He said that while the former Haritha Resorts on the same hill generated around Rs 7 crore annually, the new complex is burdening the exchequer with an electricity bill alone amounting to Rs 1.8 crore. He further revealed that more than Rs 10 crore was spent on furniture and Rs 35 crore on interiors.
Pointing to Coastal Regulation Zone violations, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan alleged that the previous government damaged an ecologically sensitive hill to construct a “palatial retreat” for former Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, instead of creating a genuine tourism asset.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan announced that the JSP will move a resolution to repurpose the Rushikonda buildings into a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) hub, positioning Visakhapatnam as a premier venue for weddings, large-scale events, and business gatherings during the peak tourist season. He stressed the importance of finalising a plan before winter, adding that such a move would ensure “meaningful returns” on taxpayers’ money already spent.
He also said the issue would be taken up in the upcoming Assembly session for a detailed discussion to bring transparency and accountability to the project.
Also in today’s news: CM launches double-decker Hop-on Hop-off tourism buses in Visakhapatnam
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