Minister Narayana Lays Foundation For Velampeta Slum Redevelopment Project
The modern multi-storeyed housing complex will accommodate the 177 underprivileged families at the very site they have been residing.
Visakhapatnam: Velampeta Lakshmi Nagar in Visakhapatnam has become AP’s first major urban slum redevelopment project site, with Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister Dr. Ponguru Narayana laying the foundation stone for the ₹28.44 crore initiative.
The modern multi-storeyed housing complex will accommodate the 177 underprivileged families at the very site they have been residing. The project is being hailed as a historic step towards Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s vision of transforming Visakhapatnam into a slum-free city.
Unlike conventional development models that relocate families to distant areas, the Velampeta project adopts an in-situ approach. It ensures that beneficiaries remain in their existing locality. Officials said this method preserves livelihoods, children’s education, and long-standing social ties while upgrading living standards.
Each dwelling unit will measure 328 square feet with a super built-up area of 410 square feet valued at ₹16.07 lakh. Funding will be drawn from multiple sources, including PMAY (Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana), state government, beneficiary contributions, and viability gap funding through Transferable Development Rights.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Dr. Narayana described the project as a historic step in providing safe and dignified housing for the urban poor. He directed the construction agency to complete the project within nine months, setting a June 2027 deadline. He underlined that the quality and safety standards must not be compromised despite the accelerated timeline.
To ease the transition for families shifting to temporary accommodation during construction, the government has sanctioned ₹31.86 lakh as rental assistance, calculated at ₹3,000 per month.
Visakhapatnam South MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav, who presided over the programme, said the project fulfils a long-cherished aspiration of Velampeta residents, who have endured congestion for decades. He said the families would now receive modern homes without being uprooted from their community.
District collector M. Abhishekt Kishore acknowledged the challenges of in-situ redevelopment, including limited site availability, and coordination among departments. He observed that the project’s successful implementation could serve as a model for other slums across the state.
GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg described the initiative as the beginning of a new chapter in Visakhapatnam’s urban development history, observing that few such projects have been attempted nationwide.
The residential complex will come up over 2,691 square yards, with stilt parking and 12 floors of housing units. Officials gave assurance letters for the new homes to beneficiaries during the event. They pledged to monitor the progress of construction continuously.
