13 mandals to witness uniform development under VMRDA

Visakhapatnam: A list of mandals has now been brought under the purview of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

In addition to Visakhapatnam district, the VMRDA jurisdiction also stretches in parts of Vizianagaram district.

Barring the mandals in the Agency area, VMRDA includes 13 more mandals to the list, extending its purview up to 7,328.86 sq kms. Along with Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram mandals, VMRDA now has a total of 49 mandals in its kitty. While the mandals in Visakhapatnam sum up to 32, Vizianagaram has 17 mandals under its ambit.

Earlier, Visakha urban, Visakha rural, Gajuwaka, Pedagantyada, Pendurthi, Parawada, Munagapaka, Atchutapuram, Sabbavaram, Anakapalle, Anandapuram, Bheemli, Padmanabham, Paykaraopeta, Nakkapalli, S Rayavaram, Kasimkota, Elamanchili and Rambilli formed a part of the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region.

Following the merger, Narsipatnam, Cheedikada, Chodavaram, Madugula, Buchyyapeta, Natha varam, K Kotapadu, Devarapalli, Raavikamatam, Kotavuratla, Makavarapalem, Golugonda, Rolugunta are the mandals added to the VMRDA's purview.

Constituted as Town Planning Trust body in 1962, it was rechristened as Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) in 1978. However, in 2018, it was again renamed as VMRDA.

Elaborating about the merger of mandals, VMRDA Commissioner P Koteswara Rao says, "Basic infrastructure is going to improve in the newly added mandals as development will be on a par with the city in these mandals that are added to the existing list. Even in the VMRDA master plan – 2041, the 13 mandals will be included. Another major issue which is going to be resolved in these areas is illegal constructions."

Apparently, the newly-added mandals that are adjacent to the city are going to witness a uniform development, while the city purview is all set to stretch even further.