Public welfare, urban development VMC’s main goals : Mayor

VIJAYAWADA: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi on Friday said the primary objectives of the VMC are public welfare and urban development.

Laying out the key highlights of 2024-25 budget, the mayor said 12,000 tonnes of waste from major drains was cleared for a clean and green Vijayawada city.

The mayor stated that a total of ₹40.9 crore has been allocated for the construction of 47.46 km of cement concrete roads and ₹6.80 crore for 4.33 km of BT roads. Furthermore, it was revealed that ₹17 crore has been approved for improving air quality across 24.91 km as part of the 15th Finance Commission's initiatives in the city.

She said that completion of staircases and landings in hilly areas has been achieved with an investment of ₹2.95 crore.

She underscored the successful completion of a reservoir in the 40th division with a capacity of 1500 KL, funded with ₹3.30 crore to ensure drinking water availability during the summer. Additionally, a reservoir with a capacity of 500 KL in the 46th division is 90 per cent complete.

The mayor announced that construction of 1500 KL capacity reservoirs from Gadde Venkataramayya Nagar to Nandamuri Nagar has commenced with a budget of ₹8.32 crore. “In the 15th division, a new reservoir in Ramalingeshwara Nagar is being built at a cost of ₹4 crore and is also 90 per cent complete. A new ground-level service reservoir with a capacity of 200 KLs in the Krishnarajapuram hilly area will soon be finished at a cost of ₹4 crore. Under the AMRUT scheme, reservoirs worth ₹83.74 crore are being constructed for 18.64 km of water supply at various locations, including Rehman Park and Gunadala Carmel Nagar, with ongoing filtration work targeting 45 MLD capacity,” she said.

Bhagyalakshmi highlighted other projects including the laying of a pipeline of 4.5 km in Dava Buchhaiah Colony for ₹1.5 crore and additional pipeline work of 3 km at ₹3.29 crore. A sum of ₹14.16 crore was allocated for drainage construction in three constituencies, while the underground drainage construction of 33.54 km has been initiated at a cost of ₹1.9 crore. An indoor stadium is also being constructed in Vidyadharapuram for ₹6 crore.

Mayor Bhagyalakshmi inaugurated a railway underbridge spanning 320 meters in Madhuranagar costing ₹17.4 crore, making it accessible to the public. She also pointed out that dog kennels and pig sheds have been established, and 25 per cent of completion of works under the AMRUT 2.0 scheme has been achieved with expenditure adding up to ₹74.36 crore for park and canal beautification in three constituencies.

She stated that the VMC collected ₹109.23 crore from property taxes, ₹9.80 crore in vacant land taxes, ₹18.46 crore in water taxes, ₹18 crore in sewage charges and ₹6.59 crore in water meter charges, adding up to an income of ₹163.8 crore for the year 2024.

“With 1216 applications received for urban planning, revenues from this segment stood at ₹561,301,746. A sum of ₹28.84 crore was disbursed for the NTR pension scheme benefiting 67,117 individuals and 10 jobs were provided via compassionate appointments. Revenue from VMC’s parks, shops, Kalyana Mandapams, community halls, auditoriums, and Karma Bhavans amounted to ₹19.20 crore,” she said.

Deputy mayor Bellam Durga and YSR Congress floor leader Venkata Satyanarayana were present at the presser.