Political motives stymie Tirupati's expansion

Political motives stymie Tirupati's expansion

Though the Tirupati municipality has been upgraded to municipal corporation in March 2007, the boundaries of the temple city remain the same as the proposed panchayats are yet to be merged. Tirupati still remains the smallest corporation in the state.

Now, the proposal for Greater Tirupati Municipal Corporation is also gathering dust after chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy himself deferred the proposal a year ago. It was proposed to merge as many as 43 panchayats including Rajiv Nagar, Timminaidupalem, Settipalle, MR Palle, Tiruchanoor etc. surrounding Tirupati.

The boundaries of the temple town would stretch from Yerpedu on the east to Chandragiri on the west, Vadamalapeta on the south to Settipalle on the north.  Greater Tirupati would mean the present area of 16.5 sq km expanding to 60 sq km.

Unlike other municipalities, Tirupati remained at the same place of a grade one municipality. Many blame the stagnant area on the political motives of the local leaders. When Tirupati was upgraded to municipal corporation, the proposed merger of the surrounding villages could not take place as at that time, elected bodies of panchayats were yet to complete their term and not giving any thought to Tirupati, elections for those panchayts were conducted again.

If the Greater Tirupati came into being, it would create additional opportunities for the development of the region.

“We would be getting `2000 crore funds under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) as well as many funds from the centre under various schemes following the expansion of area as well as the increasing number of population,” observed municipal corporation of Tirupati revenue officer KL Varma.

Saying that the population of Tirupati will be increased above 8 lakh following the merger of the surrounding villages, he said such expansion of the city will definitely generate more employment opportunities and other facilities.

“Though some of the panchayats like MR Palle, Rajiv Nagar etc are yet to be merged with the MCT, we are still supplying drinking water, maintaining street lights and taking up sanitation works on various roads of the respective panchayats,” another MCT official said. However the officials express dismay over those Panchayts not willing to make payments to MCT for the services rendered.

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