Khammam: SUDA notifies Master Plan excluding expanded areas

The Stambhadri Urban Development Authority (SUDA) has notified its Draft Master Plan, but excluded the expanded areas recently brought under its limits. Public suggestions are invited within 90 days, even as questions arise over the exclusion and development plans

Khammam: The Stambhadri Urban Development Authority (SUDA) on Wednesday (August 6) notified its Draft Master Plan and invited suggestions and objections from the public within 90 days of the notification.

However, the notified Master Plan, covering an area of 571.83 square kilometres, excluded the recently expanded SUDA limits. It remains confined to the Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) and 45 revenue villages from Wyra, Khammam Rural, Kusumanchi, Mudigonda, Chintakani, Raghunadhapalem and Konijerla mandals surrounding the corporation.

---

It may be recalled that the previous BRS government had initiated a project in November 2019 to prepare a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based Master Plan for the horizon year 2041. The project was undertaken by the Bengaluru-based Centre for Symbiosis of Technology, Environment and Management (STEM), in consortium with AARVEE Associates, Hyderabad, as the lead.

The draft Master Plan was completed in November 2021, after analysing GIS base maps to address the developmental needs of SUDA for the next 20 years. However, the notification was delayed as modifications were required.

In the interim, the State government changed. In October, the Congress government issued GO MS No. 185, expanding SUDA limits to include Madhira and Sathupalli municipalities and 279 villages (excluding agency villages), designating them as part of the ‘Development Area’.

Speaking to Telangana Today, former SUDA Chairman Bachu Vijay Kumar questioned the rationale behind expanding SUDA limits while the government intended to notify a pre-existing Draft Master Plan.

He urged district ministers Bhatti Vikramarka, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, and Tummala Nageswara Rao to clarify development plans for areas added under GO No. 185.

Officials stated that the notified Master Plan will remain in effect until 2050. Notably, the notification process is taking place in the absence of SUDA’s governing body, which was dissolved by the Congress government after it came to power in 2023.