Vijayawada: The long-standing demand to form a Greater Vijayawada by merging around 72 villages surrounding the city is again gaining momentum, with residents and public representatives highlighting glaring disparities in development. For nearly 20 years, people living on the city’s outskirts have been urging successive govts to expand the area of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, pointing out that while areas under VMC limits enjoy better infrastructure, many adjoining gram panchayats remain neglected despite rapid urbanisation.Within the VMC limits, residents benefit from well-maintained roads, assured drinking water supply, and efficient sanitation services. Vijayawada draws a major advantage from Krishna river, with the municipal corporation supplying treated river water across the city. The city has also earned a place among the top 10 cities in the country multiple times in Swachh Bharat rankings, reflecting consistent civic upkeep. Roads within the city are regularly maintained, and even minor damages are addressed promptly.In contrast, several gram panchayats that are virtually part of Vijayawada continue to struggle with basic amenities. In Vijayawada rural mandal alone, 12 gram panchayats with populations comparable to the city still lack adequate infrastructure. Areas such as Prasadampadu, Enikepadu, and Nidamanur, which are adjacent to Vijayawada but fall under Gannavaram assembly constituency, continue to remain panchayats despite an average population of around 20,000 each. Residents often complain of poor roads, insufficient sanitation staff, and severe drinking water issues. Groundwater quality has deteriorated alarmingly, with total dissolved solids reportedly touching 3,000, making the water unfit for consumption and causing health issues like skin ailments and hair fall. With just 20 to 50 sanitation workers for these densely populated areas, cleanliness remains a major concern.On Thursday, Vijayawada MP Kesineni Shivanath (Chinni), accompanied by Vijayawada East MLA Gadde Rammohan Rao, submitted a formal representation to chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the state secretariat, urging him to expedite the long-pending proposal for formation of Greater Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. Chinni said Greater Vijayawada can be formed by merging around 75 villages around the city with the existing municipal corporation. “The expansion will help the govt in planning infrastructure development in a comprehensive manner rather than in a fragmented way, besides ensuring planned and sustainable urban development,” he said.Gannavaram MLA Yarlagadda Venkat Rao and Mylavaram legislator Vasantha Krishna Prasad also appealed to the govt to merge the surrounding villages with the VMC, while pointing out that the gram panchayats are unable to provide even minimum drinking water facilities. The leaders recalled that the TDP had promised to create a Greater Vijayawada in its 2024 election manifesto. The chief minister responded positively to the proposal and assured that the govt would examine the matter carefully, keeping Vijayawada’s future growth and development in mind.OLD DEMAND GAINS MOMENTUMLocals have been seeking Greater Vijayawada for over 20 yearsProposal discussed multiple times but always scrapped at the final stageIn 2018, the TDP govt almost cleared the proposal but put it on hold ahead of the electionsTDP promised Greater Vijayawada in its 2024 election manifestoProposal to create Greater Vijayawada from Mylavaram to Gannavaram, covering around 75 surrounding villages
