177 Velampeta families to get apartments where their huts stand; ₹28.44 crore slum redevelopment begins in Visakhapatnam

Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P Narayana on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) laid the foundation stone for a ₹28.44 crore slum redevelopment project at Velampeta near Lakshmi Nagar in One Town, under which 177 families will get flats of about 410 sq ft in multi-storey blocks where their houses now stand. Each flat is valued at around ₹20 crore.

He was accompanied by Visakhapatnam South MLA Ch. Vamsikrishna Srinivas, District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg.

Mr. Narayana said the project was initiated after he saw the difficulties of residents living in cramped houses, including families with children and the elderly. Some of the houses were as small as six to eight square feet, he said, and residents faced considerable hardship, especially during the rainy season.

Where 177 families now live in one-room houses in Velampeta, Visakhapatnam, a ₹40 crore complex is to come up, giving each of them a 410 sq ft flat. Residents signed promissory notes before eviction; each family will get ₹3,000 per month in rent when it is built.

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When Mr. Narayana brought the problems of the residents to the attention of the Chief Minister, he immediately asked the authorities to look into the issue and bring it before the government. The city administration department and other officials then discussed and approved the project in record time, he said.

The houses would be constructed using shear wall technology, similar to that adopted for TIDCO housing, he said. The technology uses concrete walls throughout the structure, which would make the buildings stronger and more durable, although construction costs could be higher.

Municipal Administration Minister P. Narayana, Visakhapatnam South MLA Ch. Vamsikrishna Srinivas, District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore and GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg laid the foundation stone of a slum redevelopment project at Velampeta in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. | Photo credit: V. Raju

The contractors originally requested 18 months to complete the project, but he insisted on a shorter timeline. “I asked them to complete it within six months. Finally, we set a deadline of nine months,” he said, adding that the chief minister would inaugurate the finished project by the end of July next year.

Residents signed promissory notes before leaving the plot, and each family received ₹18,000 for rent of ₹3,000 per month for six months of construction.

Mr. Narayana said the Velampeta project would be the first of its kind in the state and that the government would soon start similar slum redevelopment projects elsewhere in Andhra Pradesh. He thanked the District Collector, GVMC Commissioner, City Administration Secretary and other officials for taking the project to the foundation stage.

Mr. Narayana recalled that he also served as Urban Administration Minister from 2014 to 2019 when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu emphasized the need to provide every family with a good house. “We wanted to provide better housing to the people,” he said, recalling the TIDCO housing built during the previous NDA government. He said the government sanctioned seven lakh houses between 2014 and 2019, but the YSRCP government reduced the number to 2.61 lakh. After coming back to power, the NDA government took over the TIDCO housing program again, he said.

I feel like it’s a dream

For Lakshmi, who has lived in Velampeta for almost four decades, the project means more than just a new house. It’s a chance for her grandchildren to grow up in a better environment. “We have fought a lot here. During the rains, water enters the house. I feel like this is a dream. Now my grandchildren will be able to live in peace,” she said.

Ramesh, who has lived in Velampeta for about 30 years, said residents have heard the housing assurance many times but never seen it acted upon. “We were assured many times that houses would be provided, especially during the elections, but nothing materialized. We also lost hope. For the first time in our lives, we are seeing how things are developing. We are really excited about our children’s future,” he said. “My two children will have a good house.

Residents who have spent much of their lives in the settlement gathered for the ceremony and talked about moving into permanent homes without leaving the neighborhood where they built their lives.

Published – 09 Sep 2026 14:49 IST