Minister P Narayana has announced that the master plan for Visakhapatnam’s development will be finalized within four months, outlining a vision for the next 30 years. He criticized the previous government for allegedly designing the plan to serve personal interests and assured that the revised version would be based on public opinion.
The minister made these remarks during a review meeting with MLAs from the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) region at the Amaravati Secretariat on Friday.
Key issues discussed included road expansion, traffic congestion, the metro rail project, land encroachments, drinking water supply, Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) bonds, and underground drainage.
Addressing concerns raised by the MLAs, Narayana assured that the revised master plan would be made available online for public feedback before finalization. He also emphasized the need for road widening in certain areas, metro rail integration, and resolving TDR bond issues through special municipal drives. He added that the government was committed to tackling traffic congestion around Bhogapuram Airport and resolving drinking water shortages.
MLA Konathala Ramakrishna raised concerns about land disputes in Anakapalle and Gajuwaka, along with issues related to drinking water and the beach corridor. He confirmed that Minister Narayana had assured solutions.
MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao highlighted the struggles of small landowners along major roads and sought government intervention. He also pointed out delays in resolving civic issues due to frequent changes in officials.
MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju stressed Visakhapatnam’s crucial role in the state’s Vision 2047 initiative, calling for necessary corrections in the master plan to ensure the city’s growth.
The meeting was attended by Revenue Department Special Chief Secretary R.P. Sisodia, Municipal Department Principal Secretary Suresh Kumar, Municipal Director Sampath Kumar, VMRDA Commissioner Vishwanath, APUFIDC Chairman P. Govind, VMRDA Chairman Pranav Gopal, and other senior officials.
