Vijayawada: The state government, which has not been able to justify its stand over increasing the escalation cost in the NTR urban housing scam, has landed in another controversy. The price that the CRDA has mentioned for 432 houses for MLAs and IAS officers, in a recent notification, has attracted the attention of the state Vigilance department and infra experts, as it appears to be more than the cost of luxurious houses or flats in prime localities of Hyderabad.
The CRDA has identified land for the same in Amaravati, and each flat costs around Rs 1.40 crore. In the e-procurement tender notice issued on August 18, the APCRDA has stated it for the investigation, design and construction of housing for legislators AIS officers, for 432 apartment units in 18 towers of B+G+12 floors' pattern with ‘monolithic concrete construction’. It also includes architectural finishes, internal and external electrical, plumbing and sanitary, fire-fighting, lift & security services, external development works, including 3-year defect liability period under EPC system, at Amaravati Government Complex, AP.
Realtors and infra experts have expressed several doubts over the tender notice as the individual flat costs around Rs 1.40 crore, in case the CRDA is going to award the work to contractors who will win the technical and financial bids.
Flats in Hyderabad cost less: Realtors
In the tender notice issued with number NIT: 128/CRDA-13021(31)/19/2017-CE-HB-APCRDA, the CRDA also stated that the total cost of the project is Rs 608 crore and the bid can be downloaded on AP e-procurement portal from August 25 to September 16, Mr M.A. Shukoor, CE (H&B), CRDA, said. An infra expert said the CRDA had not mentioned the land cost and without considering that, it will come around Rs 1.40 crore per apartment or flat. Flats with all the said facilities built in 3,000 sqft in prime areas like Banjara Hills, Shaikpet and Jubilee Hills would cost lower than that, they said and raised doubts as to what prompted the CRDA to fix those prices, that too in the Capital region of Amaravati, where lot of works are yet to be started. In many areas in Telangana capital, each premier flat costs Rs 1.20 crore, with 3,000 sqft land cost included, with gated community facilities.
A key official in the Ministry of MA&UD is behind finalising the price. The former ENC of Public Heath Engineering had raised the escalation cost by including a clause in the first tender notification of NTR Urban Housing, sources from the Minister's peshi said. The MA&UD department, which is responsible for these hyper estimates, is tightlipped.
