The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) will get a new master plan consequent to the increase in its purview from 1,700 sq. km. to 5,500 sq. km. The earlier master plan was approved by the government in 2006. VUDA’s jurisdiction has been expanded in mid-2008.
VUDA Chairman and District Collector J. Syamala Rao, who reviewed the VUDA activities with Vice-Chairman B. Sreedhar on Wednesday told reporters that Bheemunipatnam was likely to get the status of a satellite town under a Government of India programme. Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development D. Purandeswari was trying for it and VUDA was also making efforts. Development of master plan roads would be finalised and prioritised for the next year by the Vice-Chairman. The Collector said 23 acres of land of the Old Central Jail had to be developed as green and recreation zone. A public interest litigation was pending before the court and VUDA also filed an affidavit. Once it was disposed of, the development would be taken up.
The Endowments Department to which the land belongs had been earmarked 100 acres of land at Madhurawada which its Commissioner had inspected. Creating parking space there would depend upon court order and feasibility.
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Mr. Syamala Rao said the Vice-Chairman would coordinate with the Joint Collector on issues relating to Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS). Project management software would be used in monitoring the progress of the VUDA’s housing project ‘Harita’ to complete it in two years.
Stating that response to the project was very good, Mr. Sreedhar said lots for allotment would be drawn on February 19. Applicants for the HIG, which had received nearly 300 per cent response, would be given an option to take MIG units. In view of the response, the officials concerned had been asked to prepare plans for the second phase in 20 acres.
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In the land-pooling venture at Paradesipalem, 180 acres of land was available without any litigation. It would be taken up in the first phase and tenders had already been finalised. The Bhoodan land issue had not been settled yet. Though a budgetary support target of Rs.350 crores was fixed for the current year by the government, VUDA did not auction land in view of the market conditions.