GVMC will lay pipeline for water supply from Kanithi Balancing Reservoir to Madhurawada in Visakhapatnam: Commissioner

GVMC to secure ₹500cr from IFC for UGD in Madhurawada. New pipeline from KBR to Madhurawada to cost ₹600cr. New GVMC office building with 3 underground parking areas to be built at ₹100cr. GVMC to focus on roads, parks, water supply, collection of arrears. VSP owes ₹600cr to GVMC. GVMC to strengthen Horticulture wing. Aim to provide world-class civic facilities in Visakhapatnam.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) plans to secure ₹500 crore from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) for provision of Underground Drainage (UGD) in Madhurawada (Zone-II). This apart, a new pipeline will be laid from the Kanithi Balancing Reservoir (KBR) to Madhurawada, according to GVMC Commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma.

“Madhurawada area is being supplied drinking water from the Gosthani River, which also supplies water to Bheemunipatnam zone. The pipeline project will cost an additional ₹600 crore. We are also according top priority to construction of a new office building for the GVMC at Arilova as the existing building has limited parking space,” the Commissioner told a group of media persons.

The existing GVMC office has 90,000 sft, and the parking is inadequate to meet the growing requirements of citizens, particularly during the Spandana programme. “The 4.5 acre land, identified for the new GVMC building will have a built up area of 2 lakh sft. The building will have three underground (cellar) parking areas and the office building would have ground plus three floors. It will be built at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore. While the Visakha Industrial Water Supply Company (VIWSCO) will contribute ₹80 crore the remaining amount would be borne by the GVMC,” says Mr. Saikanth Varma.

Construction of new roads, relaying and improvement of existing roads, parks and provision of water supply apart from thrust on collection of arrears of property, water tax and VLT (vacant land tax) are the other thrust areas for development of Visakhapatnam city. The Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP) alone owes ₹600 crore to the GVMC towards VLT and water charges, he says.

The laying of nearly 100-km of roads has been taken up in the city. The traffic islands and junctions are being improved and fountains have been provided. Visakhapatnam, the biggest city in Andhra Pradesh, deserves world-class civic facilities, and has immense potential to grow, he says.

“I am trying to put systems in place to ensure that the existing and new facilities created are functioning and well maintained. I have instructed the officials to ensure that all the fountains in the city are in a working condition and any deviation will be viewed seriously.”

“The Horticulture wing of GVMC will be strengthened to ensure proper coordination between the GVMC and the EPDCL workers, who cut down the branches of trees, when they come in the way of electricity supply lines. A zonal horticulture officer would be appointed in each of the eight zones in the corporation,” Mr. Saikanth Varma added.