Nara Lokesh urges long-term development planning for Visakhapatnam

HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Sunday directed public representatives and officials to develop long-term plans aimed at reshaping Visakhapatnam, keeping in mind future growth and emerging challenges.

Addressing a review meeting, he warned that the city must avoid traffic bottlenecks similar to those in Bangalore and Pune and called for the construction of wide roads to ensure smooth mobility.

Highlighting Visakhapatnam’s rising profile as a business hub, Lokesh stressed the need for comprehensive master plans. He held a special meeting at the Collectorate with officials and representatives from Uttarandhra districts, reviewing development progress and planning needs for Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, and nearby areas.

“Plans must have a 30-year horizon, and coordination between officials and public representatives is essential,” the Minister said. He pointed out that the government is working to create five lakh jobs in the region, with several companies and a large steel plant coming up, and urged careful planning to prevent public inconvenience.

Lokesh also directed officials to prepare land banks for IT parks around Visakhapatnam. He later briefed the media on the discussions at the meeting.

The meeting was attended by key officials and representatives, including IT Secretary Katamaneni Bhaskar, City Mayor Peela Srinivasa Rao, local MLAs, district collectors from Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam, VMRDA Commissioner K.S. Viswanathan, and other senior officials.