Key Takeaways:
- GVMC will operate in ten independent zones from 1 January to streamline administration and bring services closer to residents.
- Commissioner Ketan Garg ordered systematic file transfers and directed officers to work from their respective zonal offices.
- The new zonal map lists ten zones with ward counts and area measures, including Gajuwaka, Aganampudi and Madhurawada.
- GVMC ten zones are expected to improve access to welfare schemes, civic amenities and municipal services.
The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will reorganise its administrative structure and begin operating from ten independent zones from 1 January, the corporation announced following state government approval. The move is intended to streamline administration, speed up service delivery and make civic functions more accessible to residents across the metropolitan area.
GVMC ten zones to bring services closer
GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg set out the changes during a video conference with zonal commissioners at the GVMC headquarters. He directed that all ten zonal offices should function independently from the New Year and ordered a systematic transfer of files and records to avoid misplacement. Officers and staff were instructed to discharge duties from their respective zonal offices henceforth.
“The reorganisation aims to improve administrative efficiency and ensure that municipal services reach residents more promptly,” a GVMC statement said. Zonal commissioners and officials have been tasked with informing the public about which wards and secretariats fall under each zone. Ward secretaries will run awareness drives at the secretariat level so residents know where to access services.
The newly constituted zones and their basic details are: Bheemunipatnam (four wards, 58.884 sq km), Madhurawada (five wards, 95.668 sq km), East (15 wards, 48.527 sq km), North (17 wards, 19.928 sq km), South (13 wards, 9.698 sq km), West (14 wards, 72.937 sq km), Pendurthi (six wards, 75.038 sq km), Gajuwaka (15 wards, 108.115 sq km), Aganampudi (four wards, 102.830 sq km) and Anakapalli (five wards, 41.079 sq km).
The distribution reflects differences in population density and geographic size, with some zones covering large suburban or peri-urban tracts while others are more compact and densely settled. Local authorities said the revised map will help match staffing and resources to the specific needs of each zone, from waste management and road repairs to welfare programme delivery.
Officials emphasised that the change does not alter citizen entitlements but is intended to reduce administrative delay. The commissioner asked zonal teams to ensure uninterrupted access to existing services during the transition, and to co‑ordinate closely with central GVMC departments to process transfers of records and pending files without disruption.
Residents can expect routine services such as birth and death registrations, building plan clearances, water and sanitation complaints, and eligibility checks for municipal welfare schemes to be handled at the zonal offices. The corporation also plans a public information campaign to publish ward-wise lists and office contact details so residents can quickly find their new point of contact.
Local civic activists welcomed the move as a pragmatic step towards decentralising administration. They said clearer local accountability and easier access to services would benefit residents, particularly in larger zones where travel to a central office has been a constraint.
GVMC’s ten-zone structure will be monitored in the coming months to assess its impact on processing times and citizen satisfaction. The commissioner has asked zonal heads to submit regular progress reports and to flag any operational challenges so that adjustments can be made promptly.
