Richest CM Chandrababu Using Rs 95 Lakh Public Funds To Repair Toilets At Undavalli Residence

A sum of ₹95 lakh has been sanctioned for repair works at the residence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Karakatta, Undavalli, according to an official order issued on October 13.

As per the order, issued by the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, ₹25 lakh has been allocated for emergent repairs to the Chief Minister’s residence itself. Another ₹25 lakh has been sanctioned for repairs to the police barracks, toilet blocks, sentry posts, containers for security officials, and the helipad located around the residence. A further ₹25 lakh has been earmarked for repairing water supply and sanitary items in existing toilets used by security officials stationed near the residence. The remaining ₹20 lakh has been approved for similar repairs to the water supply and sanitary facilities within the Chief Minister’s residence.

The sanction has triggered sharp criticism from the YSRCP, which questioned the government’s decision to spend such a large amount of taxpayers’ money on repairing what it called an “illegal mansion on the riverbank.”

The YSRCP also flagged that the state government had sanctioned an additional ₹1.44 crore on October 28, 2024 for other works at Naidu’s residence.

Naidu’s residence in Undavalli has been mired in controversy for years. Situated on the Krishna River floodplain, it falls within a restricted construction zone under the River Conservation Act and related environmental laws.

Reports from the Krishna River Management Board and Water Resources Department in the past pointed out that several buildings, including Naidu’s residence and nearby guest houses, were constructed without approvals from the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) or necessary environmental clearances.

After coming to power in 2019, the YSRCP government declared the residence an “illegal construction on the river bund” and issued demolition notices. However, Naidu’s office maintains that he is only a tenant, and that the house belongs to Lingamaneni Ramesh, a realtor and industrialist. They also claim that the building was constructed before the CRDA came into existence and had all required permissions at the time.

The controversy continues to serve as a political flashpoint between the TDP and YSRCP. While the High Court has not issued a conclusive verdict on the matter, leaving it legally unresolved, the YSRCP has repeatedly used it to question the TDP’s credibility on governance and land-use ethics.

Reacting to the latest repair sanction, YSRCP leaders criticized Naidu for spending public funds on private comfort. “Why should India’s richest Chief Minister, with declared assets of over ₹931 crore, use taxpayer money for repairs to his personal residence?” the party questioned.