Development History and Density

Development History and Density

Figure 4.4 Vijayawada city with respective to Krishna and Guntur District

The Government of Andhra Pradesh constituted the VGTM Urban Development Authority in 1978 under A.P. Urban Areas (Devt.) Act of 1975 for a development Area of 1665 sq. kms. This development area constituted the four fast growing urban areas of Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri and 150 villages around these towns falling in both Krishna and Guntur Districts. The boundary was later extended to 1955 sq. kms. in the year 1988 due to rapid urbanization. The expanded development area then constituted 30 lakh population; extending in 39 more Villages. A masterplan was prepared as an outline development plan. In 2006, Andhra Pradesh Government prepared Zonal Development Plans for the entire VGTM area of 1954.61 sq.km. The plans came into operation in 2007. The Zonal Development Plans constitute the proposed Land Use Plans and Zoning Regulations for all zones; based on projections for the year 2021. The main aspects taken into consideration are demographic, economic and Environmental profile, Land Use Pattern, Economic and Social Infrastructure, traffic and transportation, Urban Governance, Municipal Finance, Heritage and VGTM_ Zonal Development Plan- Proposed Land Use Plan for Year 2021. Tourism and sector-wise issues and solutions Vijayawada is a thriving town with significant historical significance. During the early Christian era, it was one of the most prominent cities and religious. The Vengi Kingdom's administrative centre. A large number of antiquities discovered in and near Vijayawada affirm the city's presence throughout the eras. The Legendary, Indrakiladri hills are referred to in the Mahabharata as the location where Arjun obtained “Pasupathastra” Lord Siva's message.

This medieval town was founded on the northern bank of the Krishna River, and by 1855, AD, the village was a tiny village on a hill. The eastern slopes of the Indrakiladri Mountains The initial Figure 4 depict the city's expansion. The construction of the barrage and three irrigation canals, notably the Eluru, Ryves, and Bandar canals in 1855, and the rail bridge over the Krishna River in 1892, accelerated the town's expansion. During the pre-independence period, the city grew slowly. However, after independence, the construction of road bridges over the Krishna River, the setting up of the South-Central Railway terminal, the establishment of divisional headquarters, major government offices including district courts, major institutions for higher education, major commercial and distributive trading activities, wholesale establishments, agricultural marketing center, and Jawahar Auto Nagar were all completed. Bezawada(Vijayawada) was controlled by King Madhava Varma, according to the city's history (Ancestor of Pusapatis of Vizianagaram). The Stone Age relics of prehistoric man and culture are discovered all along the Krishna River, which dominates the Vijayawada landscape (Error! Reference source not found.). Vijayawada's history is heavily influenced by the developments that occurred in the city during British control (Error! Reference source not found.). The British period saw a tremendous increase in the city's fundamental infrastructure and facilities. The Parkas Barrage, a major project, was completed, as was a railway bridge over the Krishna River that connected Guntur City and its area. When Buddhism was at its peak, the great Chinese Huin Tsang visited this site in 639 A.D. During 1855 AD, the town grew along the banks of the Krishna River, adjoining the Indrakiladri hills, and centered on the shrine of Lord Malleswara. Growth began along the canals and regions bordering the Indrakiladri and Gandhi hills around 1905 AD. The city expanded farther along the three canals, with increasing development along the Bandar road. Because of improved infrastructure and transportation, the city expanded further down the Eluru road, towards the Gunadala hills. It also included numerous adjacent settlements, and the municipality's authority expanded from roughly 30 km2 in 1888 to over 58 km2 in 2004. The city was primarily restricted to the region between the Indrakiladri hills, where Kanaka Durge temple is located on the east, the railway station on the west, and Prakasam Barrage on the south in the early 1950s. Along Bandar Road (old NH5) and Eluru Road, the city began to expand eastward. The “One Town” market, located in the ancient city region, has a bustling business and a large garment market. The city, located in the rich Krishna delta, has long served as the region's agricultural market centre. The Auto Nagar Industrial Estate was established in the 1960s. Some residential developments, such as Vidydharapuram, Bhavanipuram, and HB colony, which occurred to the east of the Indrakiladri Hills in the 1980s LANCO, established a thermal power plant. On the west side of the river, there is a power plant and a residential settlement. In 1999/2000, the NH9 was heading towards Hyderabad.

Table 4.1: Events that influenced spatial development in Vijayawada, 1855 to 2014

VMC has created residential zones such as Ajith Singh Nagar, Payakapuram, and Vambay to accommodate the urban poor during the lIn In recent years city has expanded along the eastern and western axes.

The vast Vambay Colony, which is the site of the BSUP-supported three-story flats projects for slum evacuation, is one of the most recent growing regions in the north. The River Krishna runs through the southern section of the city and has historically functioned as a barrier to the city's progress to the south. The outer ring roads and bypasses have been proposed in the new Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Urban Development Authority (VGTUDA) Master Plan, which can boost expansion. The outer ring roads and bypasses have been proposed in the new Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Urban Development Authority (VGTUDA) Master Plan, which can boost expansion to the north and south.

Figure 4.5 Existing Settlement Hierarchy

With improved accessibility across the Krishna River, there is growth in commercial, residential, and recreational activity in the Mangalgiri region, which is currently one of Vijayawada's fastest-growing suburbs. As per URDPFI guidelines the existing hierarchy of settlements within the Krishna-Guntur region is as follows i. 1 Metropolitan – Vijayawada ii. 1 Large City – Guntur iii. 9 Medium Towns - Tenali, Gudivada, Mangalagiri, Tadepalli, Ponnur, Nuzvid, Satenapalle, Kannuru, Jaggayyapet iv. 953 Small Towns and Villages

The figure illustrates the development trend in the Capital Region. The following are some key observations:  With a large industrial and commercial base, the population of Vijayawada City has increased rapidly. This population is absorbed by the neighbouring suburbs like Gollapudi and Tadepalli that have grown into medium sized settlements / towns.  Areas near Guntur City have also grown into Small towns

A higher percentage of settlements especially medium sized towns like Gudivada, Tenali and Ponnur are located in the Delta Region. ï The Capital Region clearly shows linear development along the transport corridors with key nodes. ï The gross density of the capital Region is 683 p/sq.km. However, the gross urban density for Vijayawada is around 18,000 p/sq.km. Which is above the desirable norm. Vijayawada‘s urban agglomeration already reached its projected population of 16.4 lakh by the year 2021 in just 7 years (Year 2014). Such density, if compared with other highly populated Asian cities such as Seoul and Singapore, stands out exceptionally. To slow down the seemingly unstoppable densification of the urban area due to the imminent population increase, alternative decentralization strategies will have to be explored and enforced.

Table 4.2: Development Density in Key cities/towns