Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg has instructed officials to expedite widening of the 100-foot Master Plan Road from Gopalapatnam Junction Arch to Old Goshala, covering a three point one-kilometre (km) stretch and aiming for completion within 120 days. He directed that an action plan be prepared in coordination with the revenue and town planning departments. The inspection of proposed stretches was carried out on Friday with senior planning and engineering staff.

The party included Chief City Planner A Prabhakar Rao, zonal commissioners B Hemavathi and H Sankara Rao, and superintending engineers A Srinivasa Reddy and K Srinivasa Rao. The Commissioner reviewed areas near the Gopalapatnam petrol bunk, the vacant site at Rythu Bazaar and the Vinayaka temple and examined the proposed widening layout. Officials said 348 properties were identified as affected, with 210 on the right side and 138 on the left.

Garg instructed the Chief City Planner to conduct a comprehensive survey along the full three point one-kilometre (km) stretch, commence road marking and prepare a consolidated report identifying government land and private properties for acquisition. He also asked the superintending engineer to prepare estimates for centre medians and retaining or protection walls where required.

He advised that structural compensation be provided in accordance with norms and that the project proceed under a clear action plan, with GVMC ensuring right of way and compensation while the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority provides funding and GVMC executes construction. Departments were directed to work closely to meet the 120-day target.

The inspection included executive engineers Dilip and Madhava Rao, deputy city planner Ram Mohan Rao, ACP Ramalingeswara Reddy, deputy executive engineers, ward planning secretaries and officials from engineering and town planning departments. Implementation timelines and procedural steps were to be finalised and submitted for review.