India Today has exclusively accessed visuals of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's Rs 500 crore Rushikonda 'Sheeshmahal'.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00The new Sheesh Mahal controversy erupted and this is with regard to form of the CM Jaganmohan
00:15Reddy.
00:16India today brings you this exclusive about the Rishikunda Palace.
00:20It's literally called a palace because of clearly the kind of palatial splurge that
00:24we have seen.
00:25This is supposed to be a tourism resort in Vizag, was also to be Jaganmohan Reddy's office
00:30cum residence, but it's been unused because it got embroiled in alleged environment violation
00:35issue.
00:36Built at a cost of approximately 500 crore rupees, this resort cum palace is spread over
00:4210 acres, 7 blocks, fully equipped with even inbuilt roads that land up and reach towards
00:48this resort.
00:49There's a full on drainage system, a power substation also.
00:53Italian marbling, gold accents in bathrooms, spas and jacuzzis.
00:59Now this remember is not just conjecture, India today was on the ground, managed to
01:03go inside where nobody else is allowed and found out imported furniture are some of the
01:08key highlights.
01:09Why this has turned into a controversy?
01:12Interiors worth over 30 crore rupees, landscaping in itself outside this palace and resort,
01:1850 crore rupees spent on landscaping.
01:21The bathtubs reportedly cost 40 lakh rupees, even the commode I must add in the washroom
01:26is about 10 to 12 lakh rupees.
01:29Then there are chandeliers and more, all of that running into lakhs.
01:33The concern happened that this is allegedly built in violation of coastal regulation zone
01:37clearances, environment norms and half of the hill has been excavated for this resort
01:44area.
01:45What you can see behind me is the Rishikonda Palace and the question that remains to be
01:54answered is what happens to the Rishikonda Palace after its construction for almost over
02:01three years back sprawled across 9.8 acres and the construction alone worth over rupees
02:10500 crores.
02:11The TDP led India government after it had come to power in the recent victory in 2024.
02:18The question remains as to what happens to this palatial structure that had been built
02:24atop Rishikonda Hills here in Visakhapatnam by the Bay of Bengal and the seat.
02:31What the more important question that raises is that each of these buildings that have
02:36been standing remain idle, but the interiors and the exteriors likewise have been completely
02:44remodeled, refurbished and intricately designed to the likes of the YSRCP chief and former
02:53Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy and his family as this was TDP allergies
03:01supposed to be the office come residents of Jaganmohan Reddy.
03:06Had he shifted to Vizag post his victory in 2024, the TDP led India government now has
03:13a mammoth task ahead as to see what happens to this palatial structure.
03:19Is it going to be just remaining idle or is the public's funds beat over rupees 500 crores
03:29that had been spent on this building?
03:31What goes off that money?
03:34All amenities spread across in worth over rupees 500 crores.
03:40This is going to be a huge toll for how the TDP led India government will go ahead and
03:48take forth a decision on this place.
03:51A over 500 crore worth of residential come office property at the sea facing view that
04:00you can see of the Rishikonda Hill.
04:02What is going to be the decision that will be taken?
04:06That's a question for Mr. Naidu, Italian, 10 acres of land that had been set for this
04:16Rishikonda Palace, which included imported granite, 210 acres costing rupees 15 lakhs
04:24each, cozy interiors designed at a cost of rupees 33 crores, imported furniture, spacious
04:31washrooms with commodes each costing rupees 15 lakhs, landscaping with exotic imported
04:38plants, an advanced sound system, a homogenous home occasion screen among several of the
04:46features.
04:47The design which has been spread across these four major blocks, see lavish chandeliers,
04:56conference rooms and several amenities that have been set up right from the corner of
05:02the CMO office.
05:03Basically, it is not a private property, it is a tourism property.
05:10That construction is all used by government purpose only, not for personal use.
05:15They are making all false allegations.
05:19But sir, the public funds has been used now, allegations of environmental violations are
05:25also there.
05:26But they are using lakhs of crores in Amaravati right.
05:31For Vizag, only beautiful tourism spots are there.
05:37So on the tourism land, the government constructed new buildings.
05:43They are making serious allegations that more than 500 crores rupees in around 10 acres
05:49land, a palace has been constructed for Jaganmohan Reddy, what do you have to say on that?
05:54No, that is not a private property, that is a public property.
06:01Buildings are only for public use only, not for private persons.
06:04Not for personal use of Jaganmohan Reddy?
06:06Yes, yes, yes.
06:07For improving governance, improving anything, it is all public money.
06:11It is not a Zamindar using his property.
06:15It is in a democracy and the people, the money belongs to the people.
06:19I was in Andhra Pradesh government, I worked with prime ministers, but they all wanted
06:25expenditures to be low.
06:27They all realized public money cannot be wasted.
06:31But unfortunately here, public money was plunged.
06:36And that kind of Italian marble waste of money is a crime against the people of Andhra Pradesh.
06:41We think probably Vishakhapatnam will be the biggest data center hub, obviously towards
06:47the east of the country.
06:49We need to give that confidence to all the investors who are coming down.
06:53Hopefully the foundations laid by the YSR Congress party government and the leadership
06:57of YSR Jaganmohan Reddy garu, hope this government takes it forward and hope the central government
07:02also will be a positive vibe to this issue.