The pending files in Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTMUDA) seem to have paved way for unauthorised constructions in the UDA jurisdiction, while the extended jurisdiction and shortage of manpower has crippled the activities in the UDA.
About 300 files pertaining to building plans are pending clearance from the UDA whose jurisdiction is spread over two districts -- Krishna and Guntur. 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 corporations to two.
The commoner and builders alike are making rounds to the UDA corridors to get their plan ratified.
There is an inordinate delay in according necessary permissions and approval for the building plans. Some builders have taken a ‘calculated risk’ of going ahead with their projects without UDA approval.
According to a conservative estimate, about 500 ventures -- either authorised or unauthorised -- are going on in the UDA region.
The total value of these projects could be around Rs.100 crore, sources say. The UDA, however, has no staff to check whether these ventures are authorised or unauthorised.
The builders have commenced projects by taking approval from village panchayats. It is mandatory to obtain the UDA approval also. Most of these ventures are coming up in Tenali, Undavalli, and Mangalagiri (in Guntur district), Gannavaram, Mylavaram, Gollapudi, Autupalli, Uyyuru, and Nuzvid (in Krishna).
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.
Greater Vijayawada Builders’ Association chairman Gadde Rajling says,
“The system has collapsed. It is taking months to get an approval from the UDA to start a new venture.” On unauthorised constructions, Mr. Rajling said, “The UDA has to approve the plans and check how many are unauthorised.”
