VMRDA\'s draft master plan, draft perspective plan now a controversy

Visakhapatnam: The 347-page draft master plan-2041 and draft perspective plan -2051 of Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Urban Development Authority (VMRDA) has now become a subject of controversy in the Port City.

After the existing master plan-2006 expired in June, VMRDA started preparing the new plan to develop its territorial areas, including Greater Vizag.

After the plan was put in public domain a few weeks back, various stakeholders, including locals, forums, and political parties have started criticising and have been sending letters against it as ‘it was drafted without any consultation and discussions with the stakeholders’.

Opposition parties, including TD, Jana Sena, CPM, and BJP said that the VMRDA's plan seems to have projected self-goals and go by the agenda of YSRC leaders to loot the region than think of its development.

GVMC's floor leader from Jana Sena and 22nd corporator Pitala Murty Yadav said "It is not the VMRDA's master plan. It is Vijayasai Reddy's plan. Vijayasai Reddy's team has been accused of land deals behind the proposed 200-foot road curve after crossing INS Kalinga on the beach road in the plan.”

Forum for Development of North Andhra (FDNA) general secretary A. A. Sarma said "After our protests and pressure from our union, the draft plan was published in Telugu two days ago. There will be only one week of time to understand the content of the draft and submit our objections. It is not possible.  We demanded that September 30 should be the last date for submitting objections."

The TD recently staged a protest at the VMRDA's office with other demands like display of omissions.

Senior party leader Palla Srinivasa Rao demanded that the master plan drafts be displayed at each mandal and ward secretariat offices.

“VMRDA must display the old plan report also on the website and compare it with the new plan," said  Rao.

GVMC's CPM floor leader and 78th corporator B. Ganga Rao said that the proposal to widen the 60, 80, and 100 feet roads into 200 feet roads were confusing the business community, he added.

Aug 7 is last date for objections:

VMRDA commissioner K. Venkataramana Reddy said that they had now kept the details of the master plan in the local language in order to ensure that the message reaches the ground level.

Reddy said that the last date for receiving objections and suggestions on the VMRDA Region Draft Prospective Plan-2051 and Draft Master Plan-2041 has been extended to August 7 following requests from the public.

A notification was given in Telugu in Visakhapatnam Gazette on June 16.

All details can be had on www.vmrda.gov.in.

Points:

- VMRDA's master plan becomes the subject of controversy!

- VMRDA tagged as a second metropolitan region in Telugu states after Hyderabad

- The VMRDA (then VUDA) 2006 plan expired in June

* VMRDA Jurisdiction: 7,328 square kms area

- 1457 villages in two districts

- Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram

- 60 lakh population

- 13 new mandals from Vizag district included while preparing the master plan-2041