*Nara Lokesh pocketed Rs. 400 cr commissions in Tirupati One land deal*

Tirupati, March 30: YSRCP Official Spokesperson and former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy demanded the immediate cancellation of arbitrary land allotments made to private real estate companies under the so-called Tirupati One Project, that massive corruption worth hundreds of crores is hidden behind this dubious deal. Addressing the media at his residence in Tirupati, Bhumana revealed that 22 acres of prime land located just near Tirupati Collectorate, valued at over Rs. 1,000 crore at the rate of nearly Rs. 50 crore per acre, was handed over to two real estate companies for a mere Rs. 94 crore. In addition, the government has extended another Rs. 400 crore in concessions, making the total largesse to these companies nearly Rs. 1,400 crore. No public tender notification or advertisement was issued before the allotment, and the Government Order contains no stringent conditions whatsoever to protect public interest.

He strongly objected to the land being allotted on freehold basis instead of the usual lease or PPP model to Divya Sri Holdings Pvt Ltd from Bengaluru and Cyber City Builders & Developers from Hyderabad. As part of the deal, these companies have been given undue benefits including 15 years of GST incentives, 100% stamp duty reimbursement on land purchase, and five years exemption from property tax. Bhumana expressed serious suspicion that these two companies are actually benami entities of Nara Lokesh and alleged that even TDP leaders themselves are privately discussing that Nara Lokesh has received Rs. 400 crore as commission in this transaction. He pointed out that the companies are also heavily purchasing surrounding agricultural lands, clearly indicating insider trading.

Bhumana vehemently condemned the move to set up star hotels, spas, multiplexes, wellness centres and a large convention hall in this sacred spiritual zone near the holy Tirupati temple and Tiruchanur, stating that it amounts to playing with the sentiments of devotees. He questioned why such valuable land was not allotted to hotels like Muntaz Hotel and slammed the government for diverting land worth thousands of crores from the Tourism Department and TTD for this questionable project. He warned that claiming the creation of 1,500 jobs is nothing but a cover for corruption and that the absence of any firm conditions in the GO only strengthens the suspicion of large-scale irregularities. If the construction companies later violate norms and build apartments or other structures, the government will find it extremely difficult to take corrective action, he added.

Bhumana declared that YSRCP will launch a massive agitation and continue its fight until the land allotments given to these two real estate companies under the Tirupati One Project are cancelled completely. He asserted that if Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu truly has fear and devotion towards Lord Venkateswara, he would not have allowed such commercial exploitation of sacred land near the temple for star hotels and spas. Valuable government land in the spiritual capital is being virtually looted and gifted away at throwaway prices, causing huge revenue loss to the exchequer, and this entire programme is nothing but a mask for massive corruption, the YSRCP leader made it clear.