VISAKHAPATNAM: With the State government forming a panel to work on creation of new districts, residents of Visakhapatnam are urging the State government to consider all views before redrawing the boundaries as the district is likely to be split into three. They are Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle and Araku.
However, barring Anakapalle, both Araku and Visakhapatnam Parliamentary constituencies are spread in two or more districts. In Araku Parliamentary constituency, only Paderu and Araku constituencies are in Visakhapatnam district, while remaining five constituencies are - one in East Godavari district and two each in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts. Keeping in view the large area of Araku Parliamentary constituency, which is the second largest in terms of geographical area in the country, the government has given broad hints at making it into two districts.
In Araku Parliamentary constituency, there are Parvatipuram, Salur, Kurupam, Palakonda, Paderu, Araku and Rampachodavaram Assembly segments. Anakapalle Parliamentary constituency comprises Chodavaram, Madugula, Pendurthy, Yelamanchili, Payakaraopeta, Narsipatnam and Anakapalle. The Vizag Lok Sabha constituency comprises S Kota, Bheemili, Gajuwaka, Visakha East, West, North and South Assembly segments.
However, there are apprehensions that Gajuwaka and Pendurthy will be included in the proposed Anakapalle district and this may deprive Visakhapatnam district of the industrial belt. Besides, Gajuwaka, Pendurthy, and Anakapalle are now under GVMC limits and if a new Anakapalle district is formed, the GVMC jurisdiction will be spread in two districts. Speaking to TNIE, former Araku MP Kishore Chandra Deo said there will be delimitation of constituencies once in 10 or 20 years. So, will there be change in districts if there is delimitation every time in future, he asked. Contiguity, accessibility, and administrative convenience should be the prime factors while carving out new districts, he observed.