Will lay foundation to Signature IT Tower in a month, despite odds: Naidu

Govt charts plans to landscape Vizag, separate underground decks to be laid for power, to maintain serenity of the city

Despite Cyclone Hudhud and other odds, the Andhra Pradesh government would lay the foundation for the ‘Signature IT Tower’, in a month from now, said chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

“The Signature IT Tower is my dream and would be much better than the Cyber Towers in Hyderabad,” he told mediapersons here on Friday.

Stating that his government was committed to transform Visakhapatnam into an international city and one of the best in the world, Naidu said they were weighing various options to prune the half-damaged trees in the city.

Besides, the government has charted plans to landscape Vizag with the involvement of the horticulture and forest departments, he said, adding separate underground decks would be laid on either side of the roads to run electricity and other cables so as to not to disturb the serenity of the city.

Keeping in view the cyclone-ravaged citizens, Naidu said the government was contemplating constructing cyclone-proof dwellings for the poor and lower middle-class.

“Industry representatives met me today and requested for early clearance of insurance claims. We have directed the insurance companies to look into this and act as early as possible,” he said, adding the government was considering extending financial assistance to cyclone-hit, non-insured small-scale industrial units.

According to finance and revenue minister Yenamala Ramakrishnudu, owing to Cyclone Hudhud, revenue-earning departments like commercial taxes, stamps and registration and road transport corporation, suffered a loss of Rs 200 crore.

Municipal minister P Narayana said industrial water supply would be resumed in two days. “The corporation everyday supplies 62 million gallons both to industrial (15 million gallon) and domestic requirements. While the domestic supply will be completely restored by this evening, supply to industries will commence in the next two days,” he said.

According to Parakala Prabhakar, communications adiviser to the Andhra Pradesh government, a central committee would arrive at Vizag in two to three days to assess the loss to industries and various special economic zones.

“The Brand Vizag image is intact despite Cyclone Hudhud. In fact, many investors are evincing more interest to invest in Vizag after considering the quick and speedy relief and rescue operations that the state government had undertaken,” he said, adding the central aid of Rs 1,000 crore announced by Prime Minister Modi would be released within four days.