GVMC plans smart vending zones and Project SARTHI rollout in early 2026

Mayor Peela Srinivasa Rao and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ketan Garg on Wednesday said several key initiatives are currently under way in the city, including the creation of smart vending zones, implementation of the AI-driven traffic management system Project SARTHI, and improvement of streetlighting. Addressing an annual press conference at the GVMC office, they said some of these projects are expected to be completed within 50 days of the New Year. They also said the International Finance Corporation has committed up to $60 million, equivalent to ₹498 crore, to GVMC for the Madhurawada Sewerage System Project, which is among the major projects awaited in the New Year.

They said that during the financial year 2025–26, GVMC has taken up 1,667 works with an estimated cost of ₹657.39 crore. Of these, 486 works worth ₹82.75 crore have been completed so far, while the remaining works are under execution. The civic body has also proposed the development of 88.35 km of roads under the Public-Private Partnership Hybrid Annuity Model at an estimated cost of ₹306.95 crore, with a one-year construction period followed by a 10-year operation and maintenance phase. The proposal is currently under process for administrative sanction.

Mr. Garg said that under Operation Life to Urban Green Spaces, measures were taken to protect open spaces in layouts and unauthorised constructions were removed across the city. To support street vendors and SHG women, three smart vending markets are being developed at Yendada, Central Park and Duvvada. Under the 15th Finance Commission grants, ₹129.25 crore has been allocated for 32 works, including air quality improvement, end-to-end road paving at 20 locations and junction improvement works. In addition, ₹222 crore is being utilised for 20 major works related to water supply, sewage recycling and rejuvenation of water bodies. Pipeline works worth ₹94.41 lakh are under way from Aganampudi to Anakapalle and Narava.

He said GVMC is currently maintaining 1.18 lakh LED street lights across all wards. To extend coverage to newly developed areas, works have been initiated to install 10,545 additional street lights at an estimated cost of ₹6.71 crore. Referring to new proposals, Mr. Garg said a ₹595 crore project has been proposed to augment water supply by 85 MLD in Zone 2, covering Madhurawada and Mudasarlova. Proposals for setting up a 15 MW solar power plant under the PPP model and for developing a sports complex on an eight-acre site at Bheemili are under examination.

During 2025–26, out of 1,282 identified vacant spaces, 740 are being developed into green parks with native plant species and children’s play areas. He said the city’s appearance is further enhanced by 200 parks, 72 traffic islands, a 48 km green belt, 133 km of side and central medians, and beach front parks with fountain systems. Mr. Garg said that between September 2024 and December 4, 2025, a total of 91.84 lakh people availed meals at Anna Canteens, with an average daily footfall of 25,727. For 2025–26, GVMC has set a property tax collection target of ₹600 crore, and from April 1 to December 15, 2025, it has collected ₹357.85 crore.