GVMC launches Operation Lungs 3.0 to clear cellar encroachments

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) launched Operation Lungs 3.0 on Monday to clear encroachments in cellar and stilt floors across the city. Several encroachments were removed on the first day alone.GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg said that the initiative has been undertaken to address the growing traffic congestion in the city, as the original cellar spaces intended for parking are being used for commercial purposes. "As a result, vehicles are being parked on roads, footpaths, and open spaces by the public and vehicle owners. This narrows the roads and obstructs traffic movement, causing inconvenience to commuters. The drive has been conducted with a firm resolve to ensure that cellar and stilt floors in commercial complexes and apartment buildings are used exclusively for vehicle parking," said Garg.
"As part of the drive, seven cellar and stilt floor encroachments were removed across four zones by GVMC town planning officials and staff, with the support of the police department," added chief city planner A Prabhakar Rao.