Vizag city expansion on cards as merger proposal comes to light

VISAKHAPATNAM: The government plans to merge panchayats in Padmanabham, Anandapuram, and Bheemili to expand the extent of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) limits, aiming to transform the port city into a metropolitan city. If the proposal comes to fruition, the entire extent of the Visakhapatnam district would become a large city, further adding over two lakh population.

A meeting with the main leaders of the three mandals at Bheemili MLA and former minister Ganta Srinivas Rao’s office indicated the proposed merger. The MLA informed them that this merger would provide many opportunities to these rural and semi-urban locations.

It is recalled that the Municipal Corporation of Visakhapatnam (MCV) became the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) with the merger of Gajuwaka and 32 peripheral areas in 2007, enhancing the number of wards from 50 to 72. In 2017, the Bheemili municipality, five panchayats surrounding it, and Anakapalli municipality were incorporated into GVMC, increasing the extent of the city and raising the number of wards from 72 to 98.

With the present proposal, 26 panchayats from Bheemili, 22 panchayats from Anandapuram, and 16 panchayats in Padmanabham will be incorporated into GVMC. Interestingly, all these panchayats are close to the Bhogapuram greenfield airport.

The state government had already planned to construct a metro rail project up to Bhogapuram airport. The metro rail would connect people from Gajuwaka to Bhogapuram, the Old Post Office to Bhogapuram, and other areas, providing space for the increase in land values and the development of the rural regions. Bheemili MLA Ganta Srinivasa Rao said the city has been growing towards Bhogapuram at a fast pace for the last decade.

He assured that the government would not increase taxes in the rural areas that will merge into GVMC and would protect all kinds of facilities in the future. The proposal would take shape following the public's acceptance.