CRZ-II Sought for Vizag Coast Due to Rapid Urbanisation
Submissions made by GVMC and VMRDA indicate that nearly 85 per cent of the Beach Corridor has already been covered by layouts, roads, and buildings.
Vishakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh Coastal Zone Management Authority (APCZMA) has recommended reclassification of the Madhurawada-Bheemunipatnam coastal stretch from CRZ-III B to CRZ-II, citing rapid urbanisation and expanding civic infrastructure along the corridor.
The authority discussed the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday, June 3. Officials pointed out that the coastal stretch no longer fits the profile of a relatively undisturbed coastal zone. It thus has to be reclassified as CRZ-II, which applies to substantially developed urban areas within the municipal limits.
According to a report submitted by the Visakhapatnam district collector at the meeting, the undeveloped area had reduced from 81.42 hectares in 2019 to 64.05 hectares in 2026. About 64.09 per cent of the 498.68-hectare corridor has already developed.
Further, authorities cited several proposed infrastructure projects in support of their recommendation for reclassification, including the six-lane Beach Corridor connecting Visakhapatnam Port and Bhogapuram Airport, beachfront development initiatives, the Visakhapatnam Economic Region Master Plan, Metro Rail proposals, and the Vizag Bay City project.
Submissions made by GVMC and VMRDA indicate that nearly 85 per cent of the Beach Corridor has already been covered by layouts, roads, and buildings.
Based on these developments, the Visakhapatnam district administration has asked APCZMA to write to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management to review the existing CRZ classification.
The proposal for reclassification first emerged during the revision of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP). Public hearings scheduled in 2024 had been postponed following representations seeking changes in coastal zoning and land-use classifications. Among those who made the representation are Divi’s Laboratories, Adani Gangavaram Port, and the Bheemunipatnam Mutually Aided Cooperative Building Society.
Some of the requests relate to the land near Erra Matti Dibbalu red sand dunes, a geoheritage site recently included in UNESCO’s tentative World Heritage List. The area has been the subject of long-standing disputes concerning land extent and boundaries.
Officials say fresh public consultations may be conducted after June 15, once updated coastal zone maps are received from the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management.
