Visakhapatnam to get dedicated GVMC nursery at Mudarsarlova

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has decided to set up its own nursery in Visakhapatnam. The facility will come up on about five acres of land in the Mudarsarlova area. About a month ago, a GVMC team visited areas under the New Delhi Municipal Council to study best practices in urban greenery management. Based on these learnings, the corporation has decided to establish its own nursery. Planting material and other resources will be sourced through the Andhra Pradesh Green Beautification Corporation, and a dedicated committee has been formed to oversee the project.Although GVMC previously had a nursery in the Mudarsarlova area, it functioned largely as a plant storage facility rather than a centre for plant propagation and nursery management, as most plants were procured from external agencies. The site has recently been converted into a children's park. Meanwhile, GVMC has identified nearly 75 major stretches in the city where gaps currently exist. The initiative builds on earlier horticulture works carried out across 26 stretches during the 2025 CII Summit and other recent events, while addressing the significant gaps that remain. According to estimates, maintenance works across all city stretches would cost about Rs 11 crore, while gap-filling works may cost around Rs 4 crore. The corporation is preparing to roll out this action plan before the onset of the monsoon. GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg said that the corporation is moving ahead with a comprehensive plan to beautify Visakhapatnam in a green and sustainable manner, following directions from chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. "As part of this effort, nearly 75 stretches have been identified for a citywide greenery and beautification drive. Plantation activities will be carried out in green belts and medians, alongside regular maintenance work. A dedicated Parks, Leisure and Cemeteries (PLC) wing has been created to oversee the initiative, which will directly report to me," said the commissioner. "The corporation plans to standardise maintenance practices across these stretches, focusing on key activities such as trimming, watering, pruning, hedging and waste clearance. Each stretch will be managed by a joint team comprising an assistant engineer and a horticulture officer to ensure consistent upkeep. GVMC has prepared a detailed action plan to roll out these works before the onset of the monsoon, with a focus on reviving greenery and beautification through sustained maintenance, gap filling and plantation works," Garg added.In the past, GVMC has undertaken aerial seed ball dispersal using helicopters in collaboration with other government agencies. As Visakhapatnam is characterised by several hills interspersed within residential areas, such efforts were considered an effective way to promote vegetation growth in otherwise inaccessible terrain. The drives also supported ecological restoration and helped improve the overall environmental resilience.