If the reports coming from the government are to believed, the controversial palatial bungalow built during the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government in Andhra Pradesh on the Rushikonda hills abutting the beach in Visakhapatnam may be converted into a five-star hotel.
A cabinet sub-committee constituted by the state government met at the Secretariat on Tuesday to deliberate on the future utilisation of the controversial Rushikonda Palace, which ministers said was constructed for the personal use of the previous chief minister.
After the meeting, state finance minister Payyavula Keshav said the Rushikonda structure currently incurs a monthly maintenance expenditure of Rs 25–30 lakh, placing a significant burden on the public exchequer.
He remarked that the extent of public money spent on the project had triggered widespread public resentment at the time.
Keshav revealed that several corporate entities, including the Tata Group, have already come forward expressing interest in utilising the property. Proposals are being examined to assess how the structure can be put to productive use.
He added that some private players have also proposed converting the property into a hotel.
Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh said the government’s objective was to ensure that the property generates revenue through tourism.
“Some parties have already approached us. We are examining how viable these proposals are from a commercial and tourism perspective,” he said, adding that further discussions would be held before taking a final decision on the palace’s utilisation.
The meeting was attended by Ministers Payyavula Keshav, Kandula Durgesh and Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, along with Special Chief Secretary (Tourism) Ajay Jain, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) Managing Director, AP Tourism Authority CEO Amrapali Kata, and senior officials from the Tourism Department.
The government is expected to take a final call after evaluating financial viability, tourism potential and long-term public benefit of the proposed options.
