The Vizianagaram Municipal Corporation (VMC) is busy collecting suggestions and objections from the public over the various proposals listed in the Draft Master Plan-2041 prepared by the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), mainly regarding the construction of an outer ring road (ORR) and a 100-feet road from Three Lamps Junction to the Collectorate.
VMC Municipal Commissioner S.S. Varma and Assistant City Planner K. Venkateswara Rao have been seeking public opinion as the VMRDA had extended the deadline of submitting objections till August 7. Mr. Venkateswara Rao told The Hindu that the opinions of public representatives and others would be consolidated and sent to the VMRDA.
“With the cooperation of property owners, we developed a 66-feet road from Three Lamps to Venkateswara Theatre junction a few years ago. Now, people are not keen on the development of a 100-feet road as it would have a serious impact on the entire market area. The opinion of the public and VMC Council’s resolutions are being sent to the higher authorities,” he said.
BJP’s Vizianagaram constituency in-charge K. Subba Rao said that the government should build a massive new market if it was intent on developing a 100-feet road in the existing market area beginning from the Three Lamps Junction to the Collectorate. “Having a futuristic vision and development in accordance with the Master Plan-2041 is good. But at the same time, the government should also protect the interests of the property owners,” Mr. Subba Rao said.
Vizianagaram Rotary Club Central former president D.S.P. Lingam said he was worried that the entire market area would be affected by the development of the proposed 100-feet road. He added that there was no need for a long ORR which was proposed to cover Pradeep Nagar, BC Colony, Ayyannapeta, Gajularega, YSR Nagar and Polytechnic College of Vizianagaram-Nellimarla Road.
“Over 50,000 people will be affected by this proposal. That is why people are strongly opposing the ORR proposal,” he said.
The district unit president of the Congress, Saragada Ramesh Kumar, asked VMRDA and VMC to hold awareness programmes on the new proposals as their confirmation in the master plan would also have an impact on the public. “Property owners cannot sell their lands if the proposals are approved in the master plan. So, the government should take the opinions of everyone before finalising the master plan,” he said.
