VISHAKHAPATNAM: Tense situation prevailed on the premises of Gitam University near Rushikonda on Friday when a team of revenue officials aided by police began fencing the government land under survey numbers 37 and 38.
RDO of Bheemili, Bhaskar Reddy, said 14 acres of government land has been earmarked for fencing, of which 5.4 acres have been fenced along the borders of the university land. “The remaining areas are surrounded by government land and hence there is no need for fencing,” he said.
The roads leading to GIMS medical college and Yendada have been closed and barricaded by the police since 4 am, leading to tense situation. Local people and TD leaders suspected that there would be another phase of demolitions as some JCBs were seen kept on the university premises. Amid tension, some second-rung TD leaders of the area were rounded up and put under house arrest by the police.
The people calmed down after RDO Bhaskar Reddy announced that there would be no demolitions, only fencing. The university had obtained a stay on the demolitions in October 2020.
The revenue department had submitted a report to the government over the occupation of around 40.51 acres of government land in Rushikonda and Yendada areas by the Gitam University. Of these, 22.21 acres of encroachment was covered with a compound wall and another 18.30 acres with garden and gravel bund.
The revenue department would submit a comprehensive report over the lands occupied by Gitam, officials said.
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