GVMC limits to expand to 64 new panchayats

The boundaries of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) are set to expand as the government shifts its focus to the development of the Visakhapatnam-Bhogapuram corridor. Plans have been put forward to integrate 3 additional mandals with 64 panchayats into the GVMC.

During a press conference on 13 September 2024, the Bheemili Constituency MLA, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, announced that the entire constituency would come under the corporation’s jurisdiction once the merger proposal is finalized.

The MLA also mentioned that he had engaged with local leaders and public representatives of the panchayats to gather their feedback on the proposal. He has written to Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, P Narayana, to advocate for the inclusion of these mandals.

The upcoming Bhogapuram Airport is anticipated to be a catalyst for growth, with increasing attention being paid to the areas between Visakhapatnam and Bhogapuram.

As part of the expansion, rural areas from the Bheemunipatnam, Anandapuram, and Padmanabham mandals are proposed to be brought into the GVMC. These three mandals, which are already part of the GVMC constituency, comprise 64 villages on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam. Although these villages are mainly agricultural, property values have risen sharply due to the ongoing real estate boom.

The MLA provided further details, stating that 26 panchayats from Anandapuram, 22 from Padmanabham, and 16 from Bheemili rural will be merged into the GVMC. He assured residents that taxes would remain stable for a decade following the merger. He also recalled the 2017 merger of Kapuluppada, Chepaluppada, and other panchayats with the GVMC during the TDP’s tenure.

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