GVMC Move to Regularise GITAM Land Sparks Political Storm in Visakhapatnam

January 24, 2026

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led coalition government has landed in the middle of a major controversy following its decision to regularise 54.79 acres of prime land allegedly encroached upon by GITAM University at Rushikonda and Endada villages in Visakhapatnam.

According to reports, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has placed an agenda item in its January 30, 2026 meeting proposing the “regularisation” of land occupied by the private university. GITAM University is owned by Visakhapatnam MP Mathukumilli Sri Bharat, a senior leader of the TDP.

Retired IAS officer and noted social activist E.A.S. Sarma has strongly objected to the move, writing to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and urging him to immediately halt the proposed regularisation. Sarma alleged that the university had encroached upon valuable government land several years ago, running into thousands of crores of rupees, and that no action was taken due to political patronage.

CPI (M) Visakhapatnam district secretary M. Jaggu Naidu also criticised the decision, alleging that the agenda was introduced solely to benefit the sitting MP, who is also the chairman of the GITAM group. He stated that land in the Rushikonda–Endada belt is currently valued at around ₹22 crore per acre, placing the total market value of the disputed land at nearly ₹5,000 crore.

Jaggu Naidu argued that allocating such high-value public land to a profit-oriented private institution violates Supreme Court judgments in the 2G spectrum and coal block allocation cases and could attract provisions under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. He further cited a 2011 Supreme Court ruling and a 2012 government order (GO No. 571), both of which prohibit the transfer of government land under local bodies to private entities.

Accusing the coalition government of betraying its electoral promise to protect public assets, the CPI (M) leader demanded the immediate withdrawal of the agenda item, repossession of the encroached land, and strict action against the officials and political leaders involved.

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