Exclusive: Inside Jagan Mohan Reddy's Rs 500 crore Rushikonda 'Sheeshmahal'

India Today

India Today has exclusively accessed visuals of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's Rs 500 crore Rushikonda 'Sheeshmahal'.

Transcript

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.

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