Expansion brings no cheer to UDA

The authority finds it difficult to supervise the works with meagre staff

A map showing the new boundaries of VGTMUDA.

The expansion of the Vijayawada-Guntur-Tenali-Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTM UDA) limits in a big way has brought no cheer to the officials. They are in a tizzy over the new jurisdiction and shortage of hands.

The officials find it difficult to supervise or take forward development works with the meagre staff in engineering and planning. The jurisdiction of the UDA has increased to 7,060 square km spread over two districts.

No additional staff

The State government has not responded to the requests made by the UDA officials to recruit additional staff. The UDA requires, at least, 60 more employees in addition to existing 120. The government has not responded even to the request to make the recruitment on contract basis, sources say.

The engineering wing has only one Executive Engineer (EE), while the extended jurisdiction demands a chief engineer, a Superintending Engineer (SE) and three EEs. The UDA also requires two Deputy Executive Engineers (DyEEs) and six AEs and one draughtsman. The authority has only three AEs, of which one is discharging duties of the draughtsman as the post is lying vacant.

In the planning wing, the UDA requires two more planning officers (POs) in addition to the existing three POs, two Assistant Planning Officers (APOs) each assisted by two Junior Planning Officers (JPOs). Three surveyors under each JPO is the need of the hour.

In the estate wing, which protects the assets of the UDA, it has only one Management Officer. The wing requires assistant management officer and sub staff to keep a tab on the properties and assets. The UDA also requires a full-fledged accounts officer and three auditors in addition to the existing Assistant Accounts Officer post, sources add.

The UDA is spending about Rs. 25 lakh per month on salaries on existing staff. It might have to shell out another Rs.15 lakh if the new staff is recruited. The new area includes four municipalities -- Vuyyuru, Nandigama, Gudivada and Nuzvid -- in Krishna and Ponnuru and Sathenapalli in Guntur district. As of now, the VGTM UDA has the municipal corporations of Vijayawada and Guntur, Tenali, Mangalagiri and Tadepalli municipalities and 188 village panchayats under its limits.

With the expansion, 631 villages from both the districts have been included taking the total number of villages to 819, municipalities to seven and municipal corporation to two.