In a race against time, the Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) council has passed a crucial resolution to merge 18 surrounding villages into its fold. This hurried move comes just ahead of the Central government's deadline to freeze all geographical boundaries by December 31, in preparation for the upcoming population Census.
A Last-Minute Political Push
The proposal, which has now been sent to the district collector for onward submission to the state government for final approval, saw its scope expand at the last moment. Initially, the plan involved only 11 villages, but pressure from local legislators led to the addition of seven more. This eleventh-hour action has drawn sharp criticism from community observers.
"The ruling party legislators and senior officials remained silent for almost 18 months on the issue and moved a proposal at the eleventh hour. It looks like a political drama ahead of the next civic body elections," remarked social activist P Bhavannarayana. The timing is significant, with GMC polls due in March-April and village panchayat elections expected around February.
Administrative Hurdles and Looming Deadlines
The rushed process faces significant practical challenges. While gram sabhas in the initial 11 villages have passed resolutions supporting the merger, the remaining seven villages have yet to clear their proposals. With merely three days left to complete the entire process, securing all necessary approvals appears highly unlikely.
Furthermore, the impending elections throw a legal spanner in the works. Any resolutions passed by the current civic body will become invalid after the polls, requiring the newly elected councils to adopt fresh resolutions post-elections. This casts doubt on the immediate feasibility of the expansion plan.
The Million-Plus City Dream and Its Challenges
The primary driver behind this merger is the ambition to elevate Guntur to the status of a million-plus city. According to the 2011 Census, Guntur's population stood at 743,000. Current estimates place it at approximately 940,000. The inclusion of around 65,000 residents from the 18 proposed villages would push the total population beyond the 1,000,000 mark.
However, council members have raised concerns about the administrative strain such a sudden expansion could cause. They cite an existing shortage of officials and staff within the GMC, warning that the merger could further burden the civic body's resources. East MLA Naseer has even suggested exploring alternative administrative models to address the region's growth.
Despite the political push, the dream of Guntur becoming a million-plus city might still be a couple of years away. The Centre's directive to freeze boundaries means that even if approved, the formal recognition and its associated benefits could be delayed until after the new Census data is compiled and published.
