Guntur: A dilemma has emerged over the proposed merger of 11 surrounding villages into Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC), with differences of opinion surfacing between elected representatives and the civic administration. While local MLA Ramanjaneyulu and GMC commissioner Puli Srinivasulu are in favour of the merger, projecting it as essential for comprehensive urban development, several corporators are opposing the proposed move, citing lack of visible progress in the villages merged earlier. The commissioner has decided to submit a comprehensive report to the district collector, incorporating the views of the corporators. The collector will forward the report to the state govt, which will take the final call.The issue came up for discussion during a recent council meeting, where corporators questioned the rationale behind expanding the municipal limits when basic infrastructure gaps persist in the 10 villages that were merged into the city a decade ago. They argued that despite the merger, residents in these areas continue to struggle with poor roads, inadequate drainage, irregular water supply, and lack of sanitation facilities. They maintained that bringing more villages into the corporation without first addressing the pervious shortcomings would only aggravate governance challenges.The opposing voices contended that the promise of development made during previous mergers did not translate into tangible improvements on the ground. They cautioned that expanding the city limits could further strain GMC’s financial and administrative resources, adversely impacting service delivery to existing residents. Some corporators demanded a comprehensive assessment of development works carried out in the earlier merged villages before taking any decision on fresh inclusions.Responding to the concerns, GMC commissioner Puli Srinivasulu explained that the proposed merger is a strategic move aimed at unlocking long-term benefits for the city and the adjoining rural pockets. He said the inclusion of 11 more villages would increase Guntur’s population from the present 9.6 lakh to over 10 lakh, a key eligibility criterion for securing higher central assistance under major urban infrastructure schemes. “Once the population crosses the 10-lakh mark, GMC would become eligible for enhanced funding under the Amrut-2 scheme. The funds would help address chronic water shortages and improve distribution networks,” Srinivasulu pointed out, while assuring the corporators that nearly Rs 600 crore already sanctioned under Amrut-2 would be utilised specifically for strengthening the drinking water supply system across the city, including the newly merged areas. He also promised to propose a grant of Rs 1,000 crore to take up the stalled underground drainage scheme in the city.Prathipadu MLA Ramanjaneyulu echoed the commissioner’s views, stating that the merger should be seen as an opportunity for planned growth rather than a burden. He said that integrating the villages into the urban framework would ensure uniform standards of infrastructure, better road connectivity, improved sanitation, and access to civic amenities. According to him, remaining outside the municipal limits would deprive these villages of central and state-funded urban development programmes.However, the corporators remain unconvinced and have been insisting that assurances must be backed by visible outcomes. They demanded a clear roadmap with timelines for infrastructure development, particularly in the villages merged earlier, before moving ahead with the new proposal. With opinions sharply divided, the proposed merger of 11 villages into GMC remains undecided, reflecting a broader debate on balancing urban expansion with equitable and accountable development.EXPANSION PLANSGovt has proposed to merge 11 gram panchayats (villages) into Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC)Expansion aims to bring better urban infrastructure and development to surrounding areas of Guntur cityThe villages proposed to be merged include Chinapalakaluru, Dasupalem, Gorlavaripalem, Jonnalagadda, Lalupuram, Mallavaram, Obulanaidu Palem, Tarakapalem, Dasaripalem, Challavaripalem, and Uppalapalem Proposal is part of an effort to expand the city’s limits, which would make Guntur eligible for more funds for development projectsA previous expansion in 2012 successfully merged 10 other surrounding villages, including Nallapadu, Pedapalakaluru, and Gorantla
