Velampeta slum redevelopment project gains pace as GVMC expedites levelling works

Visakhapatnam: Slum redevelopment is picking up pace at Lakshmi Nagar in Velampeta as GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg directed officials to expedite the levelling exercise and prepare the site for the foundation-laying ceremony of the proposed modern multi-storeyed housing project.

The slum redevelopment project aims to provide houses to 177 poor families of Lakshmi Nagar in Velampeta at the same location.

Following the Commissioner’s assurance, local families voluntarily came forward to vacate their houses. On Monday, the Commissioner visited Lakshmi Nagar and inspected the process of residents vacating their houses and the removal of vacated huts using machinery. He inspected the works at the site along with GVMC Additional Commissioner PM Satyaveni, Chief Engineer PVV Satyanarayana Raju, South Zone Zonal Commissioner M Mallaiah Naidu, Executive Engineer Tara Prasanna and assistant city planner Jhansi Lakshmi.

The Commissioner informed that GVMC had initiated a special action plan to construct a modern multi-storeyed residential complex at the same location and provide flats to all 177 families of Lakshmi Nagar. He recalled explaining the housing project in detail during his earlier interaction with residents and assuring them that formal assurance letters regarding house allotment would be issued to all eligible beneficiaries.

Reposing faith in GVMC’s assurance, the residents voluntarily came forward to vacate their houses. Given the residents’ cooperation, Ketan Garg directed officials to immediately remove the vacated huts and other structures and level the site without delay.

The Commissioner mentioned that arrangements were being made to hold the foundation-laying ceremony for the new multi-storeyed housing complex shortly in the presence of the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development and public representatives. He directed Additional Commissioner PM Satyaveni to complete the necessary arrangements to provide six months’ rent in advance, as assured earlier, to the families who have completely vacated their houses and are temporarily shifting to rented accommodation.

On the occasion, several residents requested the Commissioner to issue the assurance letters promised to them. Responding to their request, the Commissioner assured them that after the foundation-laying ceremony, arrangements would be made to distribute the assurance letters to all eligible beneficiaries through the Municipal Administration Minister and public representatives.

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