Greater Vij move gains momentum; leaders to meet CM on April 15
Vijayawada: The proposal to upgrade the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) into a Greater Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has once again gained momentum, following recent government orders increasing the number of municipal divisions from 64 to 86.
Public representatives across the region are strongly advocating for the expansion of the civic body by merging nearly 75 surrounding villages from Vijayawada Rural, Ibrahimpatnam, and G Konduru mandals in NTR district, along with Penamaluru, Kankipadu, Unguturu, and Gannavaram mandals in Krishna district.
In this context, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni) recently held an internal review meeting with the NTR district collector, as well as the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation special officer, Dr G Lakhmisha, and the commissioner, H M Dhyanachandra. The discussions focused on the proposed expansion and the possibility of further increasing the number of divisions to 120 after merging surrounding villages.
It was decided that a delegation comprising MPs, MLAs, and MLCs would meet Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Municipal Administration Minister P Narayana on April 15 to press for the Greater VMC proposal. The leaders are expected to demand an increase in the number of divisions to 120, instead of the currently proposed 86. Before the meeting with the CM, the MP intends to hold a primary meeting with Minister P Narayana.
Earlier, MP Sivanath and Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Ramamohan Rao had met the Chief Minister and urged him to upgrade VMC into GVMC. However, the state government had temporarily kept the proposal on hold, along with a similar proposal for Tirupati.
With the latest decision to reorganize divisions by bifurcating larger wards, leaders see a renewed opportunity to push for the Greater Vijayawada plan. The upcoming meeting with the Chief Minister will also cover broader district development issues, with GVMC expected to be a key agenda item.
Meanwhile, government whip and Gannavaram MLA Yarlagadda Venkata Rao urged the government to merge nine villages from Vijayawada Rural, along with parts of Gannavaram and Unguturu mandals, into the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) to ensure planned urban development. He also assured residents of Vijayawada Rural that efforts are being made to include these villages within the VMC limits.
On the other hand, some public representatives are reportedly not in favour of merging villages into VMC or Greater VMC. They prefer to continue with the existing Gram Panchayat system and conduct elections as usual.
Sources indicate that officials have advised public representatives to abide by the government’s final decision on whether to proceed with the proposed Greater Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (Greater VMC).
Villagers likely to become part of Greater VMC if the government decides in favour of Greater Vijayawada are:
Vijayawada Rural:Gollapudi, Jakkampudi, Shabada, Kothuru Tadepalli, Vemavaram, Paidurapadu, Rayanapadu, Ambapuram, P. Nainavaram, Pathapadu, parts of Nunna, Ramavarappadu, Prasadampadu, Enikepadu, Nidamanuru, Done Atkuru
Ibrahimpatnam mandal:Eelaprolu, Guntupalli, Kethanakonda, Mulapadu, Trilochanapuram, Jupudi, Tummalapalem, Ibrahimpatnam, Kondapalli, Navi Pothavaram, Zami Machavaram
G Konduru mandal:Kadimpothavaram, Kavuluru
Gannavaram mandal:Ajjampudi, Allapuram, BB Gudem, Buddhavaram, China Avutapalli, Gannavaram, Kesarapalli, Jakkula Nekkalam, Purushothapatnam, Ramachandrapuram, Surampalli, V.N. Puram, Savaragudem, Buthumillipadu, Tempalle, Vedurupavuluru, Kondapavuluru, Veerapanenigudem
Unguturu mandal:Atkuru, Peda Avutapalli
Kankipadu mandal:Edupugallu, Davuluru, Godavarru, Kankipadu, Kolavennu, Konathanapadu, Prodduturu, Punadipadu, Uppuluru, Velpuru
Penamaluru mandal:Gosala, Yanamalakuduru, Ganguru, Kanuru, Pedapulipaka, Penamaluru, Poranki, Tadigadapa, Vanukuru.
