What’s Happening At Ramanaidu Studios?

With Vizag being touted as the future executive capital of Andhra Pradesh, allegations of land encroachments are rife in the city. The TDP leaders allege that the YCP men are trying to encroach lands of a film studio, established by mega producer late Rama Naidu.

TDP senior leader Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy charged the GVMC with according permission for construction of houses abutting the studio, which is in violation of the rules. He alleged that CM Jagan Mohan Reddy and his aides are trying to take over the studio located in the Beach Road. The studio is located on a hill and it is being alleged that a layout spread in 15.18 acres has been readied for construction of houses. This land has been mortgaged in the names of Suresh Productions proprietor Daggubati Suresh Babu, who is also the son of late Rama Naidu, and GVMC commissioner Raja Babu.

While the land was granted for setting up a studio, how can it be used for construction of houses, the TDP leader questioned. He also reminded that in united Andhra Pradesh, the then Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had allocated 40 acres to Rama Naidu with an idea to develop the film industry in Vizag, besides Hyderabad. Chandrababu Naidu allocated this land on a hill in the Bheemili beach road after Rushikonda, pricing it at Rs 25 lakh per acre.

Afterwards YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who became the CM, constituted a committee, under the supervision of the then finance minister late Rosaiah, to look into the land allocations made by Naidu. The committee made it clear that there were no irregularities in the land allocation. However, it suggested that the price of the land could be hiked. It was then the 40 acres was registered in the name of Rama Naidu.

In 2019, after becoming the CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, decided to take over the land allocated to Rama Naidu. As part of it, the land was included in the ‘mixed use’ category of the VMRDA master plan. ‘Mixed use’ means that the land can be used for commercial and housing purposes but not for industrial needs. In February this year, Suresh Babu took permission for the layout in the studio land. Later, he mortgaged 15.18 acres in the name of the GVMC commissioner. There are doubts if Suresh Babu did this voluntarily or if the CM and his aides mounted pressure on Suresh Babu.

The TDP demanded action against Suresh Babu if he had planned the layout on the hill without clearance from the government. It also demanded that if there is pressure from some quarters, they should be identified and made responsible for the illegal act.

The entire issue of mortgaging the land was kept under wraps and therefore, the officials in the subregistrar office of Madhurawada should be made responsible as the related document was registered here.

The GVMC commissioner should have written a letter to the government expressing his objection if he had received a letter seeking permission for the layout on the studio land, the TDP pointed out.