Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation to be housed in new building by August

Rajahmundry: Various wings of the Municipal Corporation will be housed in a new building by August after an inordinate delay for varied reasons. Though the original plan of the building comprised a cellar, ground floor and four floors to be taken up at a cost of about Rs 25 crore, the civic authorities have trimmed the plan to only a cellar, ground floor and first floor at a cost of Rs 6.6 crore. However, the authorities intend to add a second floor also at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore to accommodate important wings of the office.

The building up to second floor is expected to be ready for occupation by August.
As the existing buildings of the corporation are in a dilapidated condition and some on the verge of collapse the Congress government took the initiative to sanction a new building on the same premises of the corporation.

Accordingly, the civic authorities entered into an agreement with a private construction agency in July, 2013 to take up construction of the building to be completed in a year. However, the Samaikyandhra agitation, bifurcation of the state, general elections, change of government, conduct of Godavari Maha Pushkaralu, shortage of sand, non-sanction of funds and other issues resulted in delay in execution of the project. Though the foundation was laid for the building before Godavari Pushkaralu, there has been very little progress.

Municipal Commissioner V. Vijayaramana Raju directed the construction agency and engineering officials of the corporation to expedite the construction work and complete the building by August in a meeting held recently.

Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation engineer G. Panduranga Rao said, “Though there was delay in completion of the construction of the building earlier, we have expedited the work and the building will be ready for occupation by the scheduled date. We are developing greenery around the building to give good ambience to the visitors.”