RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM, Sept. 7, 2026: A long-pending demand for a dedicated Kapu Bhavan in Rajamahendravaram moved closer to reality on Monday, with Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh and Rajahmundry MP Daggubati Purandeswari performing the bhoomi puja for the proposed building.

The foundation ceremony was held on 30 cents of land allotted by the coalition government near the Collectorate in the Rajamahendravaram Rural constituency. The event drew Kapu community representatives and political leaders, with the minister using the occasion to address a dispute over the ownership and status of the site.

Durgesh said the land allotted for the Kapu Bhavan does not fall within the university's jurisdiction, rejecting claims that the government had used university land for the project. He said the original 45-acre parcel had, in 2008, been restricted to 20 acres for the university, while the remaining 25 acres were allocated for other public institutions and purposes.

Of that balance, 10 acres were allotted to the Agriculture University and the National Academy of Construction, where the Collectorate is now located, he said. Another 1.5 acres was allotted to Godavari Gas Private Limited, with the rest distributed among other government institutions. The 30 cents allotted for the Kapu Bhavan therefore had no connection with the university, Durgesh said, urging people not to be misled by claims to the contrary.

The minister described the foundation ceremony as the fulfilment of a decades-old aspiration of the Kapu community. He recalled that efforts to secure land for a Kapu welfare and function hall had continued for years and credited Purandeswari and Daggubati Venkateswara Rao with having pursued the objective.

“Determination can make even a long-standing dream possible,” Durgesh said, arguing that the coalition government's decision had finally created the opportunity to turn the demand into a permanent institution.

Invoking the example of the legendary warrior Kartaviryarjuna, who is traditionally depicted as having a thousand arms in battle, Durgesh said he was prepared to stand with the strength of “a thousand hands” whenever public welfare required it.

He also called for an inclusive approach to social development, referring to Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's emphasis on playing the role of an elder brother and bringing different communities and social groups together without discrimination.

Durgesh said the objective would be fully achieved only when construction was completed and the Kapu Bhavan was ready for public use. He appealed to community leaders and others involved in the project to work together to complete the building quickly.

He specifically thanked Purandeswari for her role in helping secure the project and said the coalition government had provided the political support necessary to turn the long-standing demand into reality.

MLC Somu Veerraju, Kapu Welfare Association president Alluri Seshunarayana, honorary president Ramineedi Murali, association leaders Achyuta Ramarao, Ganga Kishore, S. Srinivasa Rao and others attended the ceremony in large numbers.