The Andhra Pradesh government is laying out an ambitious vision for urban development with launch of the ‘Urban Andhra-2030’ initiative. This plan aims to create sustainable, livable,and investment-friendly cities across the state. The initiative was unveiled during a conference held in Vijayawada, organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in collaboration with the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department.
Principal Secretary of MA&UD,S. Suresh Kumar,emphasized that urban development extends beyond merely expanding city limits. He stated that the focus should be on creating high-quality urban environments backed by efficient governance and robust infrastructure. Key reforms introduced include reducing the minimum layout road width from 12 to 9 meters and increasing the high-rise building threshold from 18 to 24 meters. Additional provisions for podium parking, skywalks, and sky parks were also discussed.
Ongoing initiatives were highlighted, such as the development of GIS-based master plans for all 123 Urban Local Bodies and the establishment of a statewide digital property registry. The government is also working on an online platform for Transferable Development Rights (TDR) trading and has implemented Puramitra citizen grievance management system alongside smart municipal governance dashboards.
In a call for collaboration, Suresh Kumar proposed the creation of a multidisciplinary Urban Advisory Task Force . This group would consist of experts from various fields, including industry and academia, to assist in shaping future urban policies . The vision for Amaravati,as outlined by K . Karthik, Additional Commissioner of the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA),includes plans to accommodate a population of 3.5 million and generate 1.5 million jobs by 2050.
Key features of Amaravati’s planning include extensive blue-green infrastructure, integrated mobility systems,and underground utility corridors. V . Suresh, former Chairman of HUDCO, stressed the importance of building Andhra Pradesh’s urban future on sustainability and resilience. He called for integrated planning and climate-resilient infrastructure to ensure long-term viability .
Among attendees were S. Narendra Kumar,Chairman of CII Andhra Pradesh, and other notable figures from the infrastructure and logistics sectors, all contributing to the dialogue on future of urban development in state.
