The Andhra Pradesh government has approved large-scale land pooling in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, and Anakapalli districts. Through Government Order (GO) MS No 146 issued on July 30, 2025, the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) will implement a Land Pooling Scheme (LPS) over 1,941.19 acres.
This move supports the Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER), a nine-district growth plan aligned with NITI Aayog’s G-Hub strategy to transform Vizag into the “Bay City” or “Miami of the East.” The region’s economy is expected to grow from $54 billion to $135 billion by 2032.
Two major urban zones, Vizag 2.0 (210 sq. km) and Vizag Bay City (40 sq. km), will be developed as brownfield projects. Infrastructure like the 77-km Vizag Metro Rail, connecting IT corridors and Bhogapuram Airport, is expected to be completed by 2030. The total infrastructure investment is projected at RS 4,000–Rs 5,000 crore.
The land pooling in Visakhapatnam follows VMRDA’s 2016 rules, allowing landowners to contribute land voluntarily and receive a share of developed plots in return. This avoids costly acquisitions and promotes public-private participation.
The scheme also includes lands near key routes like the Anakapalle–Bhogapuram highway. Regularisation of eligible encroachments will be handled under GO Ms No 571 and Act 30 of 2013, with local RDOs overseeing implementation.
To revive the long-delayed Ozone Valley LPS near Anakapalle, the government issued GO Ms No 145. Farmers contributing land will now receive between 1,000 and 1,600 sq yards of residential land and 200 sq yards of commercial land per acre.
VMRDA Commissioner KS Vishwanathan said the revised approach benefits both landowners and urban planners, helping move stalled projects forward.
With the goals of scaling Visakhapatnam’s and its neighbouring regions’ economy, this ambitious land pooling initiative is expected to be a turning point in Andhra Pradesh’s urban development journey.
Also read: Green data centre to MRO facility, many investments invited to Visakhapatnam by CM in Singapore
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