ELURU: A Special Task Force from the regional office of Directorate of Town and Country Planning, Rajahmundry, reached Eluru on Monday to demolish the illegal structures. It has identified 143 unauthorised buildings in the city. In the first phase, 10 illegal structures were to be demolished. They included two apartments in RR Peta, one each at Pattebada and Bavisetivaripeta.
The Task Force team comprising Assistant Director Madhukumar, Town Planning Officers Nagasastry, TPS Seshagiri, AP Srinivas and Sirisha, arrived at a four-storey apartment under construction at Agraharam in the city first and tried to take up demolition of the structure with the help of police.
The Directorate of Town and Country Planning, which decided to take up demolition of all illegal structures to promote balanced growth, also sent Task Force teams to Bhimavaram and Tadepalligudem in West Godavari district.
Having learnt about the move to demolish the illegal structure at Agraharam, local MLA Badeti Kota Rama Rao along with corporators reached the place. He urged the Task Force to defer demolition of the illegal structures.
The Eluru Municipal Corporation recently removed encroachments and some dwellings for a road extension work. He feared that the demolition of structures would cause widespread resentment against the government.
The TDP MLA said he would make a representation to Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana urging him to stop demolition of illegal structures in Eluru city. Instead of demolishing the illegal structures, the government could regularise them by collecting fine from the building owners, he said.