The Hindu 30.12.2010
New master plan for RMC likely by October next
| 12 surrounding villages to come under the corporation fold |
The plan gets formal approval at the recent council meeting
The RMC is still following the 1975 master plan
RAJAHMUNDRY: If everything goes well, the Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation will have the new master plan by October next to take up any development activity in and around the city.
The formal approval of the master plan at the recent council meeting has paved the way for officials to go ahead with calling of tenders for purchase of satellite images from the National Remote Sensing Centre and getting other permissions from the Town and Country Planning Department.
The RMC is still following the 1975 master plan which was not revised in 1995 when the Rajahmundry Municipality was upgraded and again in 2003 when it became the corporation.
Despite several representations from Mayor, local MLA and people's representatives to the State government, the plan was not revised till date. Finally, in July this year, MLA Rowthu Suryaprakasa Rao, at the behest of MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar and Mayor Veeraraghavamma moved the Town and Country Planning Department for new master plan.
According to Mr. Saibabu, city planner, the new master plan will include 12 surrounding villages in the corporation limits and the extent of city will increase. “Every commercial activity will come under the new master plan and the City Planning Department will levy taxes according to it,” says Mr. Saibabu. Secondly, the road width and margins will be re-designed and no one will be spared. The city will have new look with specified parking areas, footpaths, island dividers, regulated hoardings, traffic markings and new facelift.
New look
The master plan will also look into the needs of high-rise buildings, shopping malls, multiplex complexes, townships and other facilities. However, it will take two to three years for implementation of the new plan.
