All about the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA)

Visakhapatnam is a bustling port city in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. The city is one of the major tier-2 cities in India and is a tremendous economic hub. Its ports are some of the busiest in all of India.

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To manage the development and economic endeavours of the port city, the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) was formed in June 1978. The VUDA’s jurisdiction covered over 1,721 sq kms, including the main Visakhapatnam and four surrounding towns, namely, Bheemunipatnam, Vizianagaram, Anakapalli and Gajuwaka.

The original VUDA was dissolved in 2018 to create the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), which essentially has the same responsibilities as the VUDA.

VUDA: Functions

The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority was the foremost authority on all development plans in the port city. As such, the VUDA had a variety of functions that have been listed below.

Allotting houses and plots to different income groups.
Regulating and overseeing the development of the city and surrounding towns.
Laying new roads and implementing road-widening schemes in the town.
Building recreational facilities, such as parks, sports stadiums, and galleries.
Implementing housing projects such as slum rehabilitation, for vulnerable sections of society.
Drawing up the master plan and zonal development plan (ZDP) for Visakhapatnam.

Source: Vizagtourism

See also: All about IGRS AP

VUDA: How to verify if a plot is VUDA-certified?

While buying a new plot in Visakhapatnam, be careful not to purchase properties that are not certified by the city’s development authority.
When the VUDA approved a layout, it assigned a BLP number to the plot.
The BLP number is a provisional permission to develop infrastructure on the plot. It must not be misunderstood as permission to sell the properties.
If the seller has not developed the infrastructure in the plot, then the BLP number could be cancelled.
The VUDA can only approve a layout plan if it has street lighting, water supply facilities, and public open spaces, among other facilities.

See also: All about Andhra Pradesh State Housing Corporation Ltd APSHCL

VUDA citizen services

The Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority portal provided citizens with the facility to submit their applications for layout and building plan approvals, among other things. They would also be able to access information about approved layouts and plans.