PRESS RELEASES

VUDA receives National Tourism Award

Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) has been awarded the National Tourism Award by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for the year 2008-09. The Ministry has selected VUDA for the Special award in the “Best Civic Management of a Tourist Destination in India” category for Green practices. There are only two awards in the category. One award has been jointly won by Tranquebar in Tamil Nadu and Yanam in Pondichery. The second award has been awarded to VUDA. Smt J Geetha Reddy, Minister for Tourism, Government of AP and the Vice Chairman of VUDA B Sreedhar received the award at the function held at Vignan Bhavan, New Delhi on Wednesday. The award was presented by Hamid Ansari, the Vice President of India. Kumari Shelja, Minister for Tourism, Government of India, Sultan Ahmed, State Minister for Tourism, GoI and Sujith Benarjee, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, GoI and others were present.
The Divisional Forest Officer of VUDA BVA Krishna Murthy also attended the function at New Delhi along with the Vice Chairman.
Responding with great joy for receiving the award, the Vice Chairman of VUDA Sreedhar said the Tourism Ministry, Government of India has selected VUDA for the award by recognizing the developments and services provided at all its visiting places. VUDA, the second largest in AP and third largest urban Development Authority has now earned much more recognition at national level with the award, he added. The user-friendly amenities and arrangements, maintenance of facilities, use of best waste management practices, encouragement of re-use and recycling systems, care for environment and green practices etc., at Kailasagiri, Thotlakonda, VUDA Park and Submarine Museum etc., have been considered and the award was announced. The activities and continuous efforts of the urban forestry wing and Engineering officials under the supervision of  BVA Krishna Murthy, DFO, are making the VUDA visiting places user-friendly and glamorous.

Media Advisor, VUDA
Photo write up: J Geetha Reddy, Minster for Tourism, Govt of AP and B Sreedhar, Vice Chairman of VUDA receiving the National Tourism Award for VUDA from Hameed Ansari, Vice President of India at New Delhi. Kumari Shelja, the Central Tourism Minister, Sultan Ahmed, Minister of State for Tourism, GoI and Sujith Benarjee, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism are seen in pic.

Special Drive for clearing LRS applications: VUDA VC Sreedhar

The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority has decided to take up special drive to clear the Layout Regularisation Scheme (LRS) applications received, seeking approval of the individual plots, unauthorised and illegal layouts. The Vice Chairman of VUDA, B Sreedhar has directed the officials of planning wing to dispose the applications with approvals, zone wise to avoid much delay. The drive will continue in phased manner and zone wise to attend all the applications, he said. During the drive, the applications will be dealt thoroughly and the applicants will be informed on lapses and further requirements to complete the process of approving their plots. the Vice Chairman is of the opinion that the drive will extend single window facility to the applicants instead of roaming round the VUDA office and facilitate them to receive the approvals within a stipulated time.
Responding to the appeals of the applicants, the Vice Chairman took the decision of conducting Special Drive, through which the LRS applications shall be disposed off, as per the guidelines and genuineness of the documents submitted by the applicants. The Vice Chairman instructed the Chief Urban Planner of VUDA, K Ananda Babu to make arrangements for conducting the drive zone wise from VMR area.
To begin with, the special drive has been initiated with Zone-4, which covers the areas of Visakhapatnam city. The drive for city areas will be conducted for two days, on 22nd and 23rd of this month at 3rd Floor of VUDA Office. LRS applications pertaining to Resapuvanipalem, Madhavadhara, Maddilapalem, Waltair ward, China Waltair, Akkayyapalem, Marripalem, Pandurangapuram, Kakaninagra, MVP Colony, Kapparada, Pithapuram, Maharanipeta, Butchirajupalem, Allipuram, Sivajipalem, Darapalem, Mudasarlova, Pedagadili, Gopalapatnam, Chinagadili, Adarshanagar and Adavivaram areas will be dealt in the Special Drive being held on the above two days.
The drive is open from 11.00 A.M to 5.00 PM on 22nd and 23rd, enabling the applicants to present and interact with the VUDA officials. The applicants are advised to attend the drive with the communications received so far and with the shortfalls communicated to them. Separate counters will be arranged area wise to deal with the applicants. Chief Urban Planner Ananda Babu will supervise the drive and the Planning Officers Dr KD Brainard and V Dhanabal would be coordinating.
VUDA has received around 13,186 applications under LRS and the deadline for applying is coming to close by this month end. As per the orders issued by the government, the areas falling in newly extended jurisdiction of VUDA have been also covered by LRS. However, the Vice Chairman Sreedhar is very keen in disposing the LRS applications as per the stipulated guidelines and advised the applicants to make use of the special drive.

VUDA to take up auction of residential Plots

Announcing schedule in first week of July VUDA is getting ready for disposal of residential plots in its various layouts through open auction. Proposals under finalization and schedule will be announced during the first week of next month. The Vice Chairman of VUDA, B. Sreedhar directed the officials to complete the required proceedings to take up the auction of residential plots during the last week of July. During a meeting with heads of wings on Monday, the Vice Chairman told the officials to prepare the schedule of auction with complete information relating to the plots proposed for disposal.

Residential plots in layouts of VUDA at Bheemili, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam city areas are coming up for auction. The Vice Chairman said about 175 plots will be put for auction in the next month schedule. Detailed schedule with sizes of plots, locations, upset value and payment schedule etc., will be announced soon. While discussing on Layout Regularization Scheme (LRS), the Vice Chairman directed the planning officials to place the information pertaining to the applications already received in the VUDA website. The information should disclose the status of each application, he said. He further instructed them to speed up the process relating to the received applications, since the last date for applying for LRS is extended up to December 31.

VUDA to take Stringent action
Educational institutions in VMR for insisted Plan approval- VUDA issues notices

Educational institutions existing and coming up within the jurisdiction of VUDA i.e., Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region (VMR) spreading in Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam and East Godavari districts are insisted to obtain approvals for their constructions. The Vice Chairman of VUDA, B Sreedhar directed the managements of educational institutions to fulfill the statutory obligation of obtaining necessary approvals for all types constructions, since it is mandatory under the provisions of the AP Urban Areas 9development)n Act 1975. Engineering colleges, Polytechnics, Pharmacy Colleges, Medical Colleges, Schools, Colleges of Education, Nursing Schools, Junior & Degree colleges and other category of educational campuses are taking up construction and development activities without proper approvals from the Competent Authority, i.e., VUDA which is nothing but violation of the building byelaws, zoning regulations and the Master Plan of VMR.

The Vice Chairman said the construction activities by the Educational institutions and societies are treated as unauthorized since they are leading to interruptions and utter violations of the provisions of the Master Plan for VMR of VUDA. The Master plan is a statutory comprehensive strategy deciding the overall development of the VMR area and the construction activities of educational institutions without any approval from VUDA results in creating lot of confusion and hindrances to achieve the planned development, the vice chairman added. Since VUDA deals with the land use pattern, development of transport connectivity, identification of growth centre and most importantly determining the expansion of development regions duly preserving the natural resources, it is very essential to record every inch of development taking place in its jurisdiction. Hence, the educational institutions and societies of all categories must submit their proposals of development and obtain the statutory approvals from VUDA, the Vice Chairman said.

Though it has been repeatedly cautioned and warned, the managements and societies have not turned up to approach VUDA for necessary building approvals, except very few. Keeping in view the integrity of the Master Plan for VMR and deviations to its provisions, all those educational institutions carried out constructions and development works without proper permissions from VUDA are strictly cautioned to obtain required statutory approvals of the building plans under the provisions of the AP Urban Areas (development) Act 1975, within 15 days. Stringent action will be initiated against defaulters, besides informing the concern agencies such as AP State Council of Higher Education, AICTE, Medical Council of India and the Universities and higher bodies, to which the institutions are affiliated to cancel the recognition and affiliations, apart from taking action under the provisions of AP Urban Areas (development) Act 1975 from VUDA side, the Vice Chairman warned. Notices were already issued to this effect to all those identified institutions and the Vice Chairman directed the Planning officials to take up thorough inspections to find out constructions without approvals.