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The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) concluded its final public consultations for the Draft Master Plan-2041 after extensive stakeholder engagement across Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Vizianagaram. Concerns over potential land-use favoritism prompted a deadline extension and the formation of a technical committee to review feedback. Spanning 6,700 sq km, the plan includes key infrastructure like Vizag Metro, Bhogapuram Airport, and the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor. It also proposes transit-oriented zones, slum upgrades, and smart infrastructure. Focused on sustainable, inclusive development, the plan aims to balance growth with environmental protection and decentralised urban expansion across the fast-growing coastal region.
The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA) concluded its final round of public consultations on the Draft Master Plan-2041 earlier this week, after a prolonged and participatory feedback process. The two-day in-person hearings at the VMRDA office in Visakhapatnam were attended by a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including residents, elected officials, urban planners, and community representatives. Advertisement
This concluding round followed nearly a month of sustained constituency-level outreach across the Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, and Vizianagaram districts. Multiple awareness workshops and feedback camps were conducted to ensure inclusive participation, especially from semi-urban and rural pockets within the metropolitan region.
Concerns had been raised that certain land-use changes appeared to disproportionately benefit a select group of individuals who had prior knowledge of the changes and had invested in those parcels. These allegations led to mounting political and civic pressure, prompting the Andhra Pradesh government to extend the deadline for objections and order a full reassessment of the draft.
In response, the VMRDA constituted a seven-member technical committee to evaluate the objections and suggestions received. The committee comprises senior urban planners, engineers, and land-use experts, who will now undertake a detailed review of the feedback. Their assessment will focus on zoning changes, road network revisions, residential and commercial allocations, and environmental conservation zones, ensuring that the plan aligns with public interest and long-term sustainability.
The current Draft Master Plan-2041 was first notified in early 2022 and covers a geographical expanse of over 6,700 square kilometres across three districts. This new plan aims to accommodate the rapid urbanisation of Visakhapatnam, which has emerged as a key economic and logistics hub along the eastern coast of India. The earlier iterations of master plans beginning with the VUDA Plan in 1989 and the subsequent Vision 2021-laid the foundation for the city's zoning structure and infrastructural layout, but the current update aims for a far more integrated and regionally inclusive approach.
Among the major infrastructure elements integrated into the new master plan are the upcoming Vizag Metro Rail project, the Visakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor (VCIC), the Bhogapuram Greenfield Airport, and the proposed coastal highway and semi-ring road. The master plan also seeks to formalise transit-oriented development (TOD) zones and mitigate environmental risks, particularly related to coastal erosion and flood-prone zones.
Furthermore, the plan includes critical upgrades to housing density norms, land pooling provisions, and mixed-use development areas. It also proposes new growth centres to decongest the urban core and shift some economic activity to peripheral zones. Particular emphasis has been placed on improving last-mile connectivity, slum rehabilitation, and integration of smart infrastructure.
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