Mumbai model to shape AP’s next-Gen cities

Vijayawada: In a major step towards positioning AP as one of India’s leading metropolitan economies, a high-level delegation led by S. Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary, Municipal Administration & Urban Development, undertook an intensive two-day study visit to the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) to examine India’s most advanced systems of regional governance, land-based financing, transit-oriented development, slum redevelopment and large-scale city building. The visit on Monday was aimed at drawing actionable lessons for the Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER), which is being developed as a next-generation growth hub for AP. The Andhra Pradesh delegation comprised senior officers from the MA&UD Department, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), Directorate of Town & Country Planning and the State’s Project Management Unit, and included N. Tej Bharath, Metropolitan Commissioner, VMRDA, K. Ramesh, Joint Commissioner, VMRDA; V. Bhavani Shankar, Chief Engineer, VMRDA; V. Shilpa, Chief Urban Planner, VMRDA, R. J. Vidyullatha, Director of Town & Country Planning, Vara Prasad, Additional Director, DTCP and others.

The team held detailed interactions with officials of Government of Maharashtra.

The visit assumed special importance as AP enters a decisive phase of urban transformation, with Visakhapatnam being developed as a globally competitive economic region through projects such as Bay City, Metro Rail, TOD corridors, Bhogapuram Aerocity. The delegation studied how economic master plans are converted into investment-ready growth engines by identifying land parcels, creating growth centres and attracting private capital. Mumbai’s experience also showed how strict master planning and architectural control enabled the development of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) as a globally competitive financial district, demonstrating that planning quality directly translates into land value, investor confidence and sustained revenues.

According to Suresh Kumar, Mumbai provides Andhra Pradesh a clear, working blueprint for building cities through land, planning and institutions rather than budgets alone. He said that the way Maharashtra has empowered MMRDA and CIDCO, monetised government land, used FSI and TOD to fund Metro and housing, and created global districts like BKC (Bandra-Kurla Complex) will directly guide AP’s efforts to develop VER, Bay City, TOD corridors and new growth hubs across the State, positioning AP for its next phase of urban and economic transformation.