The State government is actively considering to buy a multi-storeyed building at Tadepalli on the Kolkata-Chennai national highway to accommodate government offices.
The building located right on the NH close to the Kakakadurga Varadhi on river Krishna was identified and initial talks were held with the building owner.
The government is planning to buy this building and shift at least seven government offices, most of them are the offices of the Heads of Departments (HoDs), which are now located in various private buildings in Vijayawada, Gollapudi, Kanuru and Ibrahimpatnam, paying high rents.
Most of the private buildings are owned by private individuals, while some of them were taken on lease by the TDP leaders and were subsequently leased to the government at higher rentals, making huge profit.
Interestingly, most of the buildings leased to the State government HoDs in Vijayawada are owned by the TDP loyalists, who have been reaping huge benefits from the government.
The chief minister had reportedly told the senior officials to identify the HoDs located in the buildings of the TDP leaders or supporters and shift them to the new building, which is likely to be taken over by the government by December end.
The owner had quoted Rs 800 crore for the building, while the officials have started the price at Rs 700 crore.
The chief minister had told the officials to calculate the monthly rentals that the government is paying to each of these buildings and pool up that money to buy this building, besides going for loan with Hudco.
In Ibrahimpatnam, Gollapudi, Kanuru and Enikepadu areas in Vijayawada, the HoDs have advanced money to the site owners to construct multi-storeyed buildings for their offices.
The advanced amount is being deducted from the monthly rentals and the agreements were signed for a period of 10 years.
It is to be seen how the government would handle such cases, if the HoDs are to be shifted.
