GVMC starts ward bifurcation, count to rise to 120 from 98

Visakhapatnam: The process of division or ward bifurcation of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) started on Thursday to enhance the number from 98 to 120. The process would be completed with a fixation of boundaries and the issue of the gazette by May 5, giving space for the elections as early as possible.The govt reorganised the administrative zones in GVMC to 10 from 8 in the last week of Dec, and the restructured zones came into operation by Jan 1. Now, the 120 wards would be reorganised and divided into 10 zones. The ward bifurcation would be based on the 2011 population census and would start from the northeast direction.The GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg told TOI that the process of reorganisation of wards formally started on Thursday, and the entire process would be completed in 33 days. The GVMC Town Planning Wing officials say that each ward will have an average of plus or minus 15,800 population. The state govt instructed the GVMC administration to start the bifurcation of wards from Thursday by considering the 2011 census. As per the 2011 census, Greater Visakha had a population of 19 lakh. If each ward gets 10% plus or minus 15,800 population, then only clarity will come for how many wards will come under each zone.The process of dividing wards will be scheduled to be completed by April 9, draft publication and accepting suggestions will take place from April 10 to April 16. Submission of draft to CDMA and examination by April 25, the bifurcation of the wards would be completed by May 2, and the gazette will be issued by May 5.The govt in its orders, said that the draft notification should be made available for the public at important places to receive objections, suggestions, and advice. Once the final draft was submitted and the issuance of the gazette, the state election commissioner would announce the election notification.