Calls for Time-Bound Resolution of Displacement Issues in Visakhapatnam Collectorate
Visakhapatnam, May 20: In a concerted push to reposition Gajuwaka as a future-ready hub for information technology and industrial growth, Telugu Desam Party State president and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao on Tuesday conducted an extensive review meeting with senior district officials at the Collectorate, focusing on infrastructure expansion, rehabilitation concerns, and employment generation.
The nearly two-hour-long meeting, attended by the District Collector, Deputy Collector and officials from multiple departments, deliberated on a wide spectrum of long-pending civic and industrial issues affecting the constituency. Mr. Srinivasa Rao underscored the need for an integrated development roadmap that balances industrial expansion with social justice for displaced communities.
Special emphasis on IT expansion
Highlighting the growing momentum in Andhra Pradesh’s technology sector under the leadership of IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Mr. Srinivasa Rao said Gajuwaka too must emerge as a significant node in the State’s digital economy. He proposed the development of nearly 400 acres of government land atop Yarada hill and another 175 acres near Aganampudi, belonging to the refractories sector, into dedicated IT and knowledge-based industrial zones.
According to him, the utilisation of close to 600 acres for technology-driven industries could unlock substantial employment opportunities for local youth while accelerating urban economic activity in the region. He urged officials to undertake a detailed feasibility assessment of the identified land parcels and prepare a long-term development framework centred on IT and innovation ecosystems.
Steel Plant rehabilitation issues under scrutiny
A significant portion of the review meeting focused on unresolved issues linked to the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant and families displaced during land acquisition for the project. Mr. Srinivasa Rao expressed concern that several rehabilitation commitments made decades ago remain unfulfilled.
Referring to the prolonged boundary dispute between the Steel Plant and Sanivada areas, he called for a permanent administrative solution. He also pointed out that many displaced families were yet to receive house sites, pattas or employment opportunities promised during acquisition.
The MLA directed officials to prepare comprehensive records detailing the number of pattas issued so far, pending house-site allotments, extent of encroachments on acquired land, and the number of eligible beneficiaries still awaiting rehabilitation. He also sought immediate data on pending employment claims registered with the Steel Plant land acquisition employment office.
Issues concerning Vimal Vidyalaya in Visakhapatnam also figured during the discussions.
Gangavaram Port concerns revisited
The meeting also reviewed rehabilitation and livelihood concerns of families displaced by the Gangavaram Port project. Mr. Srinivasa Rao sought clarity on the proposed jetty construction, the status of the feasibility report, and timelines for commencement of works.
Officials were asked to furnish a detailed report on compensation and livelihood assistance reportedly paid to around 400 beneficiaries under rehabilitation packages. Stressing that delays had compounded hardships for affected families, he called for expeditious clearance of pending subsistence allowances and compensation claims.
Pending VMRDA, Pharma City and GVMC issues discussed
The review further covered pending development works under Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority and APIIC-related issues concerning Pharma City. Mr. Srinivasa Rao noted that nearly 300 displaced families from Pharma City colonies were still awaiting house pattas despite pursuing the matter for over two decades.
He maintained that while ineligible or fraudulent claims could be filtered out, genuine beneficiaries should not continue to suffer bureaucratic delays. According to him, the District Collector assured that the administration would take up the issue with the government if additional land allocation became necessary.
The MLA also highlighted persistent civic deficiencies within the jurisdiction of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation, including drinking water shortages, deteriorating roads, drainage bottlenecks and sanitation concerns. He urged authorities to examine the possibility of regularising settlements along stormwater channels and minor water bodies where nearly 6,000 families have reportedly been residing for over three decades.
He observed that prolonged delays in resolving such issues, often attributed to legal ambiguities and interpretations of Supreme Court directives, had left thousands of residents in uncertainty. Eligible occupants, he said, should be provided legal regularisation and secure housing rights.
Warning against harassment in the guise of local media activity
Expressing concern over alleged intimidation of economically weaker families constructing houses in Gajuwaka, Mr. Srinivasa Rao alleged that certain individuals operating “under the guise of media activity” were creating obstacles for the poor. He called upon GVMC and Town Planning officials to remain vigilant and initiate appropriate action wherever necessary.
On lands earmarked for libraries and currently under litigation, he sought complete details regarding the government’s position and decisions taken so far.
Reiterating that governance must remain citizen-centric, Mr. Srinivasa Rao directed officials to ensure faster inter-departmental coordination so that public grievances were not left unresolved indefinitely. He asserted that the development of Gajuwaka, employment generation for local youth, and justice for displaced communities would remain central to his political and administrative priorities.