CHAPTER - 3

EXISTING PROFILE OF THE STUDY AREA:

ANDHRA PRADESH AND CASE STUDY CITIES

3 1 INTRODUCTION
3 2 PROFILE OF ANDHRA PRADESH
3 3 CASE STUDY CITIES (Tlrupatl& V~jayawada)

3.1. INTRODUCTION
lndia was a union of 562 small princely states and nine British
Provinces prior to independence; it was only after independence that the
count& was divided into two parts, lndia and Pakistan (which had two units.
West Pakistan and East Pakistan). This division resulted in a number of
political, economic, cultural and social changes. At present lndia is divided
mainly on linguistic basis into 28 States and seven centrally administered
territories.
Physiographically lndia is divided into four regions, namely the
northern mountain zone, plains of the Ganga and Indus, the desert region,
and the Southem Peninsula. Agriculture provides livelihood to about 64 per
cent of the total population. The main crops of the region are wheat, rice,
maize, millet, pulses, oilseeds, cotton, sugarcane, spices, vegetables and
fruit. The mineral resources of the region are coal, lignite, aluminium, copper,
lead and zinc. The major industries are steel, petroleum refinery, chemicals,
cement; ship building, heavy and light engineering products, railway engines
and wagons, textiles, computer hardware and software, and communication.
Coastal areas have warm summers and cool winters, and the hinterland has
hot summers and cold winters. The average annual rainfall widely across the
country ranges from 10 centimetres in the northwest desert to over 300
centimetres in the part of Assam.

3.2. PROFILE OF ANDHRA PRADESH

Andhra Pradesh is endowed with a variety of physiographic features
ranging from high hills, undulating plains to a coastal deltaic environment. It
has valuable natural resources consisting fertile land, water and the agroclimatic conditions are conducive. It is an agriculturally prosperous state.
Andhra Pradesh is historically called the Rice Bowl of India. The state has a

large river system which supplements the rainfall in the state. It is one of the

few states in the country blessed with riverine geography (Fig No. 3.1).

Location Map of Andhra Pradesh, Titupati & Vijayawada

7gU126'tI

Location: Andhra Pradesh lies between 12'41' and 22" N latitude

and 77 and 84"401Elongitude. Andhra Pradesh is bounded on the north by
Orissa and Chhattisgarh, on the west by Maharashtra and Karnataka, on the
south by Tamil Nadu and on the east by the Bay of Bengal with a coastline of
974 km, the longest coastline among all the States in India. It forms the major

link between the north and south of India. It is the biggest and most populous
state in the south of India. It spread over an area of 275,068 km2.
Physiographically the state is divided into Telangana (the plateau region),
Coastal Andhra (the coastal region) and Rayalaseema (the rocky region).

Climate: Andhra Pradesh receives rainfall from the south-west

monsoon as well as the north-east monsoon. The first begins in the second
week of June and lasts still September while the second occurs in October to
November. The State's coastal areas receive heavy rains during the north
east monsoon and are also subject to cyclonic conditions which cause
enormous damage to residential accommodation and to standing crops. The
rainfall decreases from north to south. The Nizamabad district in Telangana
receives about 87.5 cm of rain while Anantapur in Rayalaseema receives only
31 cm. The state has a really hot summer but after the rain begins in the

middle of June, there is a decline in the heat when humidity takes over. There
is a mild winter in December but the temperature does not go down below 16

degree Celsius. While the south-west monsoon is comparatively heavy in the

northern parts of the state, the north-east monsoon brings more rain to the
southern areas like Rayalaseema.The hot season causes the mercury to rise
to troublesome proportions in the months of April and May when it could shoot
up to 40 degrees and more (Fig No. 3.2).

Rainfall in Andhra Pradesh 1998 to 2003

1988-99

199800

2000-01
YEARS

2001-02

200243

I
Fig No. 3.2
Souror: M&omlopical

Centre, Indian Weomlogical Department,

Oowmment

of Indla,

Physiography: Andhra Pradesh has considerable topographical

variations with dense forest in the north east, flat paddy lands in the coastal
plains, several noteworthy beaches along the Bay of Bengal and the stark
boulder-strewn region around Hyderabad.
,

The three main geographic provinces of Andhra Pradesh are:

1. The coastal plains, blessed with pleasant weather and rich

alluvial plains.
2. The Eastem Ghats which consist of exotic forest and rivers

running through rocky hills.

3. Coal beds, gneisses, granites and basaltic lava that constitute

the peninsular plateau.

Hills: The State is dotted with hill ranges from the north to the south,
running erratically down the middle of the country dividing it into western and
eastern or coastal Andhra. These hills form integral geographical entities of
Andhra life and history. In the north-east, there are Papikondalu,
Simhachalam and Annavaram hills, in the middle of the state there are
Srisailam hill ranges and in the south are the Seshachala hills and Nagari
hills, form the part of Nallamala and Erramala hill ranges.

Soils: The State has red, black, alluvial, lateric and coastal sandy
soils, with shale and limestone landscapes. Red soils are found in Telangana
and Rayalaseerna, a large area of Nellore and Visakhapatnarn districts and
parts of East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam
districts. Black Cotton Soils are found in the Godavari valley from Adilabad
district to Khamrnam district, Mahabubnagar, Nizarnabad, Medak, Nalgonda,
Ranga Reddy districts, Rayalaseema districts and parts of West Godavari,

Krishna and Guntur districts. Alluvial soils are formed with sand and alluvium
brought by river. These soils are spread over the deltas of Krishna, Godavari
and Penna. Laterite Soils are found in Zaheerabad of Medak district and in
parts of Nellore, Visakhapatnam and Srikakulam districts. Sandy soils are
found along the coastal areas of the state.

Rivers: The State has two great rivers, Godavari (1,584 kms), the
longest among all the rivers of South India and Krishna (1,440 kms). Both the
rivers flows to a length of 770 Kms and 720 Kms respectively. Besides these
two big rivers, namely the Tungabhadra, the longest of all tributaries of River
Krishna, is a coalition of twin tributaries of Tunga and Bhadra which originate
in Varana hills of Western Ghats in Kamataka and joins River Krishna in
Kurnool district, and the Pennar, originates in the Karnataka Plateau, enters
Andhra Pradesh in Anantapur distr~ctand joins Bay of Bengal at Vutukur in
Nellore district after flowing through Cuddapah and Nellore districts drain the
state There are also many other small rivers and rivulets drain the state and
all these are rain fed rivers (seasonal rivers).
Forests: The falling forest cover and the decrease in area under

cultivation are glaring Pointers to the fact that something is miss in Andhra
Pradesh environmental management policies. Land be~nga prime commodity
today; pressures are increasing on its usability. Similarly rocks and geological
formations are being ruthlessly tampered with for various reasons. Rocks are
being quarried heavily for metal and mineral resources. Forests are under
pressure for both wood and land to be diverted for more conspicuous
purposes. Though the sown area is increasing, it is getting either degraded or
totally wasted. Diversion for urbanization from agricultural use is also
increasing.

Agriculture, the lifeline of state's economy: Agriculture is the

main occupation of about 62 per cent of the people in Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh is the "Seed State" of lndia with its progressive farmers
taking up production of seed for a variety of crops on behalf of the
government and of the private seed companies.
Irrigation: Roughly 60 per cent of the gross cropped area of the

State does not have assured irrigation and falls in the category of "Rain fed

dry lands". Agriculture in these areas is constrained by low productivity, lack

of assured supply of inputs, lack of technologies and cropping systems suited
to dryland conditions, poor resources and inadequate extension and support
services. Andhra Pradesh Government has been making huge budgetary
allocations for the execution of irrigat~onprojects and it is the first state to
involve the farmers in the management of irrigation sources.
Industries: Andhra Pradesh has embarked on a vigorous effort to

create economic growth. From a predominantly agro-based economy it is

transforming itself to a knowledge-focussed economy.
Andhra Pradesh is the home to a skilled and dedicated workforce
and has a large number of Universities, Technical colleges, ITl's etc. With all
the inherent strengths of a dynamic industrial economy, Andhra Pradesh is
the right choice for our business endeavours and is the pivot of industrial
prosperity in South lndia is a resourceful land of mineral.
Table No. 3.1 shows that Andhra Pradesh consists of 46% of the
total workers to the total population and 54% of Non-workers. Among the
total workers Male workers accounts 57% and female 35%. In the Urban
areas of the State, the total workers constitute 32% and non-workers are 68%
where male workers are 51O/O and female are 13% respectively.

Table No. 3.1: Category of Industrial Workers of

1 1
Total

Persons

Urban

Females

Total ,

Rural

TOW
Population

Persons

75727541

.Males

3828681

Females

37440730

Persons

55296875

Males

27890340

Females

27406535

Persons
a

20814368

a
Workers
34865117
46%
21725810
(57%)
13139307
35%
28159160
51%
16309047
5800,

11850113
4300
,

6705957

32%
5416763

'
Females

10600166
10214202

1289194
(130!01_

1
'

Main
Workers

29001326
(38%)
19517524
(51%)
9483802
(25%)
22943260
(42%)
14484219
(52%)
8459041
(31%)
6058066
(29%)
5033305

EY~*

1024761
-110%

hUjina
Workers
5863791
(8%)
2208286
(6%)
3655505
(10%)
5215900
(9%)
1824828
(6%)
3381072
(12%)
647891
(3%) 383458

--

;;;; 1

264433

NOR-

Workers

40862424
(54%)
16561001
(43%)
24301423
(65?Y-27137715
(49%)
11581203
(42%)
15556422
3 7 % )
14108411
(68%)
5183403
( 4 9 ~ ~ 1 1
8925008
(87%)

Source: Director of Census, 2001.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh is extending various incentives

for small scale industries and Tiny Sector and Large and Medium Scale
Industries. The State Government has been promoting the manufacturing
sector in a big way by providing concessions in power tariff, allotting land and
relaxing labour laws in Special Economic Zones (SEZs). Andhra Pradesh has
promoted 102 Special Economic zones of which 64 have been notified by the
Government of India. The State has recommended to Government of India for
setting up of 59 ITllTES SEZs, with active private sector participation. As of
now, 12 IT SEZs with 22 units are! functioning and operational creating an
employment of 15,000 of IT professionals.

Population: The total population of Andhra Pradesh as on 1''

March, 2001 stood at 75,727,541 as per the provisional results of the census
of India, 2001 and accounts for 7.41% of total population of India. Andhra
Pradesh has relegated to fifth most populous state in the country as against
fourth in 1991 census. This has achieved substantial reduction in its decadal
growth of population during the decade 1991-2001. While country's decadal

growth rate of population is 21.34%. Andhra Pradesh has registered an

increase of only 13.86% in 1991-2001 as against 24.20% in 1981-1991.
UrbanlRural Distribution of Population: It has been observed that
cities (large towns) found to be very less and increased up to 48 including
UAs in 2001 and 53 in 2011. Same trend was observed with Medium towns
(Class-ll and Class-Ill). There was substantial decline in number of small
towns (Class-IV and Class-V) after 1971. Population in Class-l cities or towns
found to be around 50 per cent in 1971 increased to 75% in 2001. There

IS

shift in population from small towns to Class-l cities contribution to decline in

number and percentage of population in Small and Medium towns during
1971-2001. Urban concentration was found to be more in Class-I and UAs in
Andhra Pradesh in the recent periods. In Andhra Pradesh during 1981 there
were about 20 Class-l cities, 1991 around 32, in 2002 there were about 39
and in 2011 there are 46 Class-l cities. With about 27 % of the population
living in urban areas, the level of urbanization in the state is almost on par
with the national average. Though the proportion of urban population has
been increasing in the state, the rate at which it has grown has declined
substantially in recent years. Although the proportion of people living in rural
areas has declined from 82.6% in 1961 to 72.92% in 2001, almost 10%
decrease over 40 years and the reasons being as follows: The living
standards of the rural people overall remain low, as most of them live under
conditions of agrarian over population and limited opportunities for productive
work.
Transport: The total Road network in the State is 69,051 kms as on
31'' March 2009, of which, the National Highways passing through Andhra
Pradesh constitute 4,472 kms, the state Highways constitute 10,519 kms.
Major District Roads constitute 32,170 kms and rural roads 21,714 kms. The
railways cover a distance of 5,107 kms in Andhra Pradesh out of which 4,633
km is broad-gauge, 437 km is metre-gauge and 37 km is narrow gauge. The
Important airports in the State are located in Shamshabad (International),

Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada (Gannavaram) are domestic and other

several small airports at district head quarters.

Ports: There is one major Port at Visakhapatnam under

Government of India and 13 minor Ports under State Government. Ports offer
tremendous potential for development and for the growth of a wide spectrum
of maritime activities such as international shipping, coastal shipping, ship
repairs, fishing, captive ports for specific industries, all weather ports, tourism
and sports, etc. Minor Ports of Andhra Pradesh handled 26.88 million tonnes
of cargo during 2009-2010 and Andhra Pradesh is the second highest cargo
handling state in India. At present Kakinada is an all weather lighter age port.

Tourist centres: Andhra

Pradesh Tourism

Development

Corporation continues to strive for promotion of new tourism sectors such as

Eco-tourism, Beach-tourism and Cruise-tourism. The Corporation currently
runs a chain of 52 hotels with 1043 rooms and 2222 beds in prime locations
fostering homely ambience. An impressive fleet of 144 buses cater to varied
tour packages connecting important tourism locations within and outside the
state. The Corporation runs Sound and Light shows, owns and operates water
fleet of 120 boats making River and Lake Cruise tourism an affordable reality.
73.79 lakh tourists visited the state and provided 109 crore of revenue during
2008-2009. Charminar, Salarjung Museum, Golconda Fort in Hyderabad,
Thousand Pillar Temple and Fort in Warangal, Srl Lakshrni Narasimha Swami
Temple at Yadagirigutta, Buddha Stupa at Nagarjunakonda, Nagarjuna
Sagar, Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala-Tirupathi, Sri Mallikarjunaswamy
Temple at Srisailarn, Kanaka Durga Temple at Vijayawada (Fig No. 3.1 and

3.3), Sri Satyanarayana Swamy Temple at Annavaram, Sri Varaha Narasimha

Swamy Temple at Simhachalam, Sri Sita Rama Temple at Bhadrachalam,
Araku Valley, Horsely Hills, Nelapattu, etc., are the major tourist attractions in
Andhra Pradesh.

3.3. CASE STUDY CITIES: TlRUPATl AND VIJAYAWADA

Fig No. 3.3 A. TlRUPATl B. VIJAYAWADA

Source: www. googlemaps.com

3.3.1. TlRUPATl (In Rayalaseema Region):

Tirupati is a Vibrant Pilgrim city (Fig No. 3.4) located in Chittoor

District of Andhra Pradesh, dramatically sited at the foot of bluff red sand
stone that marks the Tirumala H~lls.It has closed link to two metros i.e.,
Chennai and Bangalore at a distance of 150 krns and 258 krns respectively.
Tirupati the foothill city of Tirumala the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is visited
by over 180 lakh (2001) devotees annually.

Satelib Map of Tirupati City

Fig No. 3.4

Source: wmv. googlemaps.com

Location: Tirupati city is sltuated on the lat~tudeof 13"40'N and

longitude of 7Y27'E and at a height of 156 rnts (500 feet) above the mean
sea level, bounded by Tirumala hills on the north, Chandragirt village on the
west, Avilala and Tiruchanoor revenue villages on the south and
Akkarampalle village on the east to old Renigunta road. Tirupati municipality
is a Selection Grade Municipality till 2010 and upgraded to Municipal
Corporation in 2011 spread over an area of 24.00 km2 with 20 Revenue
Wards and 50 Election Wards with 42 poor slums.

Table No. 3.2: Historical Background of Tirupati City

Phases

Period

Description

Genesis of Govindaraja Swamy Temple and Web

development around the temple. Except OMAlipiri
lHindu
Road and Kapilatheertham Road all other mads are
Kingdom) small in length.
I3O A'D

1
,

1336-1801
(Vijayanagara Bazaar Street came to existence
Kingdom)

1801-1847
(British No major extension of Tirupati town
Administration)

.... . .

-"--

---

~irupatiextended up to Karnala Street to the south. up1

to the old Alipiri Road to the west, up to the present
1848-1887
hospital road to the north and up to Thirthakatta Road,
Mosque Road and along Renigunta Road to the east.

!
By 1915, the city extended up to the railway track to
the south, and beyond the Old Alipiri Road.
1888-1915 Residential areas like Balaji Colony and Nehru Nagar
sprang up to the west.
During-. the decade of 1961-1971the population
was

19161974

more than double with the growth rate of 131.6 % from

these figures; it appears that increase in the pilgrim
traffic due to laying of modern transportation systems.

--

-.

The city extended to the south, beyond the railway

track till Dasari Mattam and Thiruvenkatanagarareas.
Lot of other development happened on the south of
Renigunta, beyond the road junction of Tiruchanoor
1975-1980 and Renigunta.

I" 1
1

Tirupati has grown along the National Highway 205

towards Renigunta side, In the south between the
1981-2006 National H~ghwayand the State Highway 69 and
along the road to Thiruchanoor.
_I

Source: Comprehensive Traffic Study for Tirupati (2007)

--

The Tirumala hill is located at the height of 1150 mts (3650 feet)

above the sea level, and is about 10.33 sq miles in area. It comprises of

seven peaks, representing the seven hoods of Adisesha, thus earning the
name, Seshachalam. The seven peaks are called Seshadri, Neeladri,
Garudadri, Anjanadri. Vrishabhadri, Narayanadri and Venkatadri.

Temperature: Tirupati region is semi-arid with pronounced variation

in temperature. The temperature is high during March-May and low during
November-January.
The yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures are
about 25% and 35%.
Difference in minimum and maximum monthly temperatures
remains in general, less than about 20" for the whole year.
Variations in minimum and maximum temperatures and also
during different months of the year reflect typical semi-arid
climate.
Humidity: The variations in the relative humidity throughout the year
reflect tropical semi-arid climate between July and December, the relative
humidity is about 70 to 80% in the morning and about 60 to 65% in the
afternoon. During summer, the relative humidity in the afternoon is about 25 to
40%
Rainfall: The annual rainfall in the region varies between 860 and
1050 mm. Rainfall occurs as high as 1450mm with recurrence interval of 4 to
5 years. The South West monsoon (June-September) receives about 45-55%

and the North East monsoon (October-December)receives about 30-45% Of

annual rainfall (Fig No. 3.6).

4 4 . 1 8 12.46 8 , 4 9/ 46.22 1 90 1 21 1 60
[Yaasa
whole
Source: Compmhensiva Report of Cllmatr, Munlciprl Corpontion

18.15

5.14

9.72

Cllmatlc Factors In Tlrupatl Ctty (1983 2006)

-- .

Jan

Feb

.- ... .

Mar

Apr

May

Jun
Jul
Month8

Aug

Sep

Od

Nov

Dec

Fig NO. 3.5

The climate of the study area is hot and semi-arid. The influencing
rain gauge station of the study area is S.V. Agricultural College, Tirupati. The
average Minimum and Maximum temperatures are 12.48"C and 44.18"C
respectively. Highest temperature in the summer months, May is recorded as

The humidity ranges from 21% to 90% with a mean of 60%. The
predominant wind direction is due East during South West Monsoon and West
direction during North East Monsoon. The wind velocity ranges from 5.14
kmlhr to 18.15 kmlhr with a mean of 9.72 kmlhr. The wind velocity is
maximum during South West Monsoon and West direction during the North
East' Monsoon and minimum during the other period of the year. The
Sunshine hours ranges from 3.77 to 10.71 with an average of 7.60 (Table No.
3.3) (Fig No. 3.5). The table No. 3.4 shows the data for the 10 years annual

rainfall of Tirupati, which indicates that Tirupati recorded a maximum rainfall of

1103 mm in the year 2005and a minimum rainfall of 766 mm in the year 1999.

Table No. 3.4: Annual Rainfall Tirupati City for 10 Years (1997-2006)
Yrr
1007
1098
1009
2000
2001
2002
2003

S. No
1
2-

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

+---I

--

2005
2006

Amwnt nlnRll in mm
950
1045
- 766
874
907
1054
087
945
1103
814

Source: Comprehensive Report of Climate, Munlclpal Corporatlon

1200

Annual Rainfall Tirupatl city for 10 years (1987-2006)

700

BM)r

1997

Fig No. 3.6

1998

1000

MOO

2001
26432
Ymrr

2003

2004

2005

2 W

Soils: Soils are essentially residual formations with the occurrence

of parent rock in underlying strata. The grain size increases with depth, which
is a typical characteristic feature of residual deposits. Type of soil deposit on
the upstream side of Tirupati city (North West) comprises of predominantly
gravels and cobbles interspersed with clay to silt size particles. The smooth
texture and rounded fragments of the rock that exist up to depths of 3 to 4
metres indicate that these soils are deposited by transportation under the
influence of gravity force (alluvial deposits). The permeability of these
formations is of the order of

to 1o ' ~cmlsec depending on the proportion of

fines contained at specific location. Soil deposits on the downstream (South

East) side comprise of clayey sand to silty sand with low hydraulic
conductivity of the order of

l o 5 cmlsec to 10.'

cmlsec and having tendency

for low to high compressibility characteristics with plasticity index ranging

between 10 and 20. These soil deposits are formed over the first 9 to 15
metres depth. which are overlain by rock strata. As a result, the sub-surface
flow is greater on the upstream side of Tirupati and the surface runoff is
expected to be higher on the downstream side.
Drainage: Tirupati city is situated in the Swarnamukhi River Basin.

All the streams that flow in and around the city are ephemeral and rise from
Tirupati hill range. There are number of reservoirs (kuntas) or tanks situated in
and around Tirupati and many of them were converted into building sites by
the local government which lead to the depletion of the underground water.
Surface water drainage basin are established primarily on the basis of
topographical features with adjustments for road network, railway tracks, etc.,
in order to obtain maximum advantage of the west to east slope in collection
and conveyance of storm water. This is to protect the city roads and other
areas from storm erosion.
Economy: Being a pilgrimage centre, the floating population
appears to be the main source of economy but, is not of late, Tirupati is
becoming the educational hub for the nearby areas because of the presence

of educational institutions and Universities offering almost alt fields of studies

at all levels. Trade and industry are burgeoning and business is flourishing.
Revenues generated by travel sector are also high. Due to this centre and
other pilgrim centres of the district are gaining economy and used for different
developmental activities.
Religious attractions: There are many temples in Tirupati and
Tirumala. Some of them are:
Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu as
'Venkateswara (or Srinivasa) and attracts followers from a wide
range of Hindu traditions and also from other religious like
Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs, etc., from within and
outside the country.
Alamelu MangammalPadmavati Temple Shrine in Alamelumangapuram also called Tiruchanoor.
o

Govindaraja Temple, located in the core of the city.

Kodanda Ramaswamy Temple: The temple is so beautiful in
architecture. Lord Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana are present in a
beautiful form in the temple. Lord Anjaneya Swamy is seen near the
foot of Lord Rama. The temple is in the heart of the city. There is
also another temple dedicated to Lord Anjaneya Swamy opposite to
this temple. Prasadams are offered daily to pilgrims.
Srinivasa mangapuram within 10 kilometres to the western side of
Tirupati.
Kapilatheertham (Lord Shiva Shrine, the only Shiva Shrine in
Tirupati), dedicated to Lord Shiva and parvati located near the site
of beautiful waterfall.

ISKCON (Lord Krishna) Temple- The temple has its own style of
architecture with the towers coloured in gold and white. The
carvings of Lord Narasimha Swamy, Lord Varaha Swamy and
Krishna Leela are marvellous. Glass painting works on the windows
depicting Lord Krishna's playful acts and the ceilings decorated like
Tanjore art reveals the colourful masterpiece in art work. Each pillar
is decorated with ten "avatars" of Lord Vishnu. The temple inside
the sanctum has Lord Krishna with beautifully dressed Gopikas.
There is a beautiful park surrounded with lot of flowers, ponds,
fountains and with Krishna Leela idols. The temple is on the way to
Tirumala Hills.
Temple of Lord Shiva at Yogimallavaram near to Tirupati is very old
and is very famour.
Hanuman temple at Tirumala, where Hanuman's mother Anjana did
penance.
Other small waterfalls and sightseeing is present.
Museums at Tiru~atiand Tirumala.
Avanakshamma temple, 42 kms from Tirupati.
Sri Kalyana Venkateswara Swamy temple, Narayanavanam, 38 km
from Tirupati.
Sri Venugopala Swamy Temple, Karvetinagaram, 40 kms from
Tirupati.
Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Appalayagunta, 20
kms from Tirupati.
Another small temple for Lord Vishnu, the place is on the foothills of
Tirumala.
Giant Nandikeshware Statue is seen at the entrance of the temple.

There is a rock garden in Tirumala called as Shilatot-anam.

Shilparamam at Tirupati.
Grand World Theme Park at Karakampadi near Tirupati.
Narasimha theertham near Bommagunta.
Hathiramji Mutt was made for Gou-Seva and Sadhu-Seva. It
contains Goushala, resting facilities for Sadhus, residence of
Mahant and a temple. Each area has its own courtyard with
corridors around it.
SriKalahasti Temple is one of the most visited and famous Shiva
temples in India called "Dakshana Kasi". It is famous for Kalamkari
arts and sculpture. It is on the banks of Swarnamukhi River. There

is a famous waterfall like Veyyilingala Kona Falls said to be the gift

of Lord Shiva.
r

Talakona is a natural tourist spot and attracts with its beautiful

waterfalls.
Mahati Auditorium in the heart of the city built and maintained by
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) has emerged as an
important cultural centre. Several cultural events like the Telugu
Bhasha Brahmotsavams, the Seminar on Cow Protection and other
hundreds of programs in a year have been conducted here. It is
easily accessible to the local people as well as to the pilgrims
because of its location.
City life: The city has many places of attraction. In the evening,

municipal music gardens, also known as Centenary Park is filled with the
youth. It has many musical fountains to attract children. The second hot spot
in the city is the exhibition ground near the bus-stand. The Central Park
shopping mall and Arcades nearby have huge shops to cater the public with

their requirements like jewellery, gifts, clothes, cosmetics, super marts, gadget
showrooms and many more.
Zoological Park and Regional Science Centre: Sri Venkateswara
Zoological Park is the second of its kind in Andhra Pradesh. It has many
specie,^ of animals, birds and plants which are being conserved. Regional

Science Centre provides Astronomical,

Science and Technological

Knowledge to the school children, is also present nearby the park wh~chis
very famous in Andhra Pradesh. It also has a planetarium which grabs huge
amounts of crowd. There is a proposed Pharma University and Medical
College at Renigunta in an area of 165 acres and IT SEZ is also coming up in
Renigunta in 147 acres. There are the important sites located in and around
Tirupati city contributing of economy and also causing minor environmental
problems.
Education: Tirupati is not only a pilgrimage centre but also an
educational hub. It is the home for several universities and professional,
technical colleges such as Sri Venkateswara University, Sri Padmavathi
Mahila Viswavidyalayam (SPMW), one among two women universities in
India, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth (Central University), Sri Venkateswara
Institute of Medical Sciences, Sri Venkateswara Vedic University and Sri
Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU). Apart from these universities, it
has State Government sponsored Medical, Agricultural, Polytechnic Colleges
and Research Centres. It has nearly 50 UG and PG (MBA, MCA) corporate
colleges. Several degree and PG colleges for men and women, College of
oriental studies, Women polytechnic, Junior colleges, Primary, Upper primary
and High schools are managed by TTD besides government institutions.
Government and other autonomous bodies: Tirupati is a
Municipal Corporation. Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) was
established in March, 1983 with the aim of developing its 500 sq.km. area with

89 villages including two towns, Tirupati and Tirurnala. In the year 2000 its
development area has been extended to 1000 km2and added many villages

to it. Tinrmala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) also contributes a maximum of

funds for the development of the city. Major roads, traffic islands, pavements,
street lights, underground drainage, flyovers, underground bridges, drinking
water, and sanitation in other words most of the civic amenities are provided
by this temple trust (Table No. 3.5).
Table No. 3.5: Municipal Timeline of T i r u i t l City
1886

Constitution of Municipality with the population of 15,485

1954

S.V. University along with Medical College and Engineering Colleges

- .-.. .- -- --

1977

Commissioning of Kalyani Water Supply

1986

S.P. Mahiia University and Sanskrit University, and

BIRDS,elc.,

1998

Upgraded into selection grade mun~cipality

--

Commissioning Under Ground Drainage Scheme, Commissioningof

1999
Water Supply Improvement Scheme
Department for International Development (DFID), a long-term
2001
the underlying causes of poverty- fund~ngprojects launched, infrastructure development
works In 42 slums are In r ress - -- --m
~
n
t
r
a~ o l l u t l~ o ~ ~~oo n& lbr i~~ n glaunched wlth
mu---

All five e-seva centres funct~ontngand renamed as Mee Seva centres (2012)

---

. .-

--

InvestmentPlan for cltv w~dedevelo~mentsubmitted to

Government of Andhra Pradesh w~th~ss~stance
of World Bank for approval The actual
Eco-CI works under Core Area Developmentstarted ~nthe month of December 2094-Infrastructure development for all 42 poor slums has completed wlth Department for
Intemat~onalDevelo ment funding wlth an estimated cost of Rs 1480 iakh -

t
2005-06

2006-07

Construction of 1960 Nos. Urban Permanent Housing at Daminedu completed.

2007-08

Upgraded as Corporation.

--

-- -

..

Source: Municipal Corporation, Tirupati.

Transportation: Road: Tirupati has the third largest bus station in

Andhra Pradesh having 50 platforms. For every two minutes, there is a bus
facility from Tirupati to Tirumala. Tirupati has bus facilities connecting almost
each and every important city and town of Andhra Pradesh. Tirupati has good
infrastructure. The by-pass laid in the year 1994 is a six lane road covering
most of the parts of the city. Tirupati is criss-crossed by National Highways.
For every 3-4 km, traffic signals are operated to control the traffic. The
number of vehicles registered in Tirupati Regional Transport Office has
increased from 70,906 in 2000 to 1,27,907 in 2006 ( up to November and the
average annual growth rate was 1033%).

Rail: T i ~ p a t iEast railway station has 6 platforms with three

elevators. The station is currently undergoing modemisation with the
construction of three escalators. There is another major junction in the
outskirts of Tirupati (Renigunta). Tirupati West railway station and Chandragiri
stations (in the outskirts) are also present which have to be developed. Trains
which starts from Tirupati connect all the cities in the country. Tirupati railway
station is recognised to develop as a "World Class" along with Mumbai, Delhi,
and Secunderabad in the first phase in India.
Air: Renigunta Airport is the third airport established in the State. It
operates national airlines between Tirupati and Hyderabad, Bombay,
Bengaluru, Delhi and Visakhapatnam. The airport is located 15 km from the
city centre. The Airport Authority of India has planned and sanctioned huge
amount to develop Tirupati airport at par with International standards. At
present the runway is being extended by 1 km and the night landing facility
has been made recently.
Demography: Tirupati has a population of 4,59,985 (2011) including
non-municipal area which is now brought under Municipal Corporation. Male
constitute 53% of the population and females 47%. Tirupati has an average
literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; male literacy
is 82%, and the female literacy is 72%. In Tirupati, 14% of the population is
under 6 years of age. The local language is Telugu while Tamil and English
are widely understood.

3.3.2. VIJAYAWADA (In Coastal Region):

Location : The city is situated at the foot of a low range hills of the
northern bank of the river Krishna with its cardinal points as 16'31' North
latitude and 80'37' East longitude, around 70 km away from the coast.
City regional setting: Vijayawada, the third largest city in the state
of Andhra Pradesh after Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, also is one of the
important commercial and transport centres of the state. The city happened to

be the headquarters of the taluk for a long time and acted as a point of
centrality to many of the districts of the state. Over years the city has grown
as a major economic, cultural and administrative nerve centre of coastal
Andhra due to its nodal location as an important railway junction and also
because of National Highway6 and 9 traversing the city. The city also has a
few places of historic importance (Fig No. 3.7).
City in history: Vijayawada literally translates to "The Place of
Victory". It is also known as Bezwada, (it's nicknamed as "Blazewada" for ~ t s
scorching summer heat), is a flounshing town of great historic importance. It
was one of the important cities early in the Christian era, and was the religious
centre for the kingdom of Vengi. Quite a number of antiquities found in and
around Vijayawada confirm the city's existence since ages. The Epic of
Mahabharata refers to lndrakiladri hills as the place where Arjuna secured
"Pasupathastra" from Lord Siva. The historical town has originated on the
northern (left) bank of the river Krishna and, by 1855 AD the town was in the
form of small settlement on the eastern side of the lndrakiladri hills. The
growth of the town picked up momentum after the construction of a barrage
and three irrigation canals namely Eluru, Ryves and Bandar canals in 1855
and, the rail bridge over the river Krishna in 1892. Vijayawada is only the city
in the world with two rivers, Krishna and Budameru and three canals. Another
canal Buckingham canal originates from the south side of the reservoir. The
city experienced a modest growth in the pre-independence era; however, after
independence the construction of road brrdge over the river Krrshna,
establishment of South-Central Railway terminal, setting up of divisional
headquarters, major government offices including district court, major
institutions for higher education, major commercial and distributive trading
activities, wholesale establishments, agricultural marketing centre and
Jawahar auto nagar industrial estate have brought a tremendous effect on the
city's growth.

Land lay and topography: The land lay of Vijayawada is

characterized by four canals, four hills and the holy river Krishna, Vijayawada
when approached from Guntur is welcomed by the historic gates across the
holy river Krishna. The way to Machilipatnam runs parallel to Budameru
canals and crosses two other canals. These entire canals pass through the
city do1 evidently cause some hindrance to growth and traffic, but definitely
look picturesque in the bird's eye view, There are four major hills: lndrakiladri
hill; Orr's hill; Deforested hill and Moghalrajapuram hill. The natural slope of
the old town is falling from north to south whereas the new town slopes down
from west to east. When compared to the old town, the new town is flat and
hence makes drainage less effective. Though the city is protected from high
flood banks in the southern side, the low lying lands are not immune to floods,
when the river Krishna is in its spate.

Soils: Generally black cotton soil with exceptions in hilly areas is

dominant in the zone. The sub soil is moist clay which is good for agriculture.
The urban area mainly constitutes three types of soils namely alluvial, black
and red ferruginous. Fertile alluvial soils are available in Krishna delta area
where as red ferruginous soils are spread over the uplands. In the Giripuram
area, metamorphic rocks are found in the sub-soil strata. Due to the presence
of river Krishna the soil around here is very fertile and cultivated intensively.
Ground water: Water can be tapped at varying depths from 3-5m
from below ground level. Nearly one-third of the entire city's water supply is
from ground water sources. The alluvial spread along the river Krishna and
the canals also contains aquifers within shallow depths, which fairly provides
a continuous support for cultivation activities in the entire region.

Climate and rainfall: The climate of Mjayawada is tropical in nature

with hot summen and moderate winters. The climate is hot and dry
throughout the year. Summers are quite hot with very minor difference
between the maximum and minimum temperatures. Vijayawada is located on
the line which separates the delta imgated lands and, the dry uplands of the
district. The climate cycle can thus be divided into four seasons as: Cool

months January and February; Hot months - March to May; Monsoons (S.W)

- June to September and Monsoons (N.E) - October to December

0 . w t :
Jan Feb

Climatic Factors in Vljayawada City 2001

Fig No. 3.8

:
Mar

Apr

:
May

:
Jun Jul
Month8

:
Aug

:
Sep

:
Od

:
Nw

k0.m
Dec

Vijayawada and the surrounding areas experience high temperature.

The mean daily maximum temperature is 47"C, while minimum is 27.7"C in
this region. The rainfall in the region generally decreases from east to west.
This region receives maximum rainfall both by southwest and retreating
monsoons. Two thirds of the annual rainfall is recorded during southwest
monsoon. During February to June, the relative humidity in the afternoons
ranges from 68-80%. (Table No. 3.6) & (Fig No. 3.8).
Wind direction: The direction of wind in the region around
Vijayawada in the hottest months of April and May is from south to east in the
morning hours and, in the evening from southeast to northeast. In warm
months from October to March, the wind blows in the morning from east and
north and, in the evenings mostly from southeast and east.
Vegetation and landscape: Vijayawada and its surrounding region
are fairly rich in agriculture activ~tydue to the river Krishna. Soil condition is
also suitable for cultivation Rice and sugarcane are the principal crops
cultivated in the region. Coconuts, guava and mango are the major tree crops
found all over the Vijayawada region.

Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali, Mangalagiri Urban Development

Authority (VGTM UDA):

Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri Urban Development
Authority (Authority) was constituted in December, 1978 under Andhra
Pradesh Urban Areas (Development) Act, 1975. Its jurisdiction extends over
Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri municipal corporations1
municipalities constituted under AP Municipalities Act, 1965 and other areas
specified in the Schedule, comprising 1955 sq km2 of area, covering 189
villagesltowns.
Vijayawada Municipality was set up in the year 1888 with an
administrative area of around 30 sq km. The Municipality was upgraded to a
selection grade in 1960s and further to a Corporation status in the year 1981.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation was spread out over an area of 29.4
sq km. The city Zonal Development Plan Area presently covers extended
areas namely Bhavanipuram, Patamata, Payakapuram, Gunadala and
Kundavari Kandrika also. As per the revenue records, the extent of the
present municipal area is 61.88 km2. For administrative purpose, the
corporation area was divided into 3 circles and 50 wards (Table No. 3.7)
Guntur, one of the largest urban centers of Andhra Pradesh is
located 272 km southeast of Hyderabad, the state capital.. The city is reputed
to be a renowned education center. With a population of about 5.12 lakh, it is
one of the fastest growing towns of Andhra Pradesh. Since its up-gradation as
Corporation in 1994, Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) is focused on
making Guntur a modern city.. The city covers 45.71 km2 area and the zone
53.72 km2area.
Tenali is the third largest urban cluster in the VGTM-UDA region
after Vijayawada and Guntur City. It is one of the important commercial and
transport centres of the region. Tenali, once hailed, as "Andhra Paris" is one
of the oldest municipalities formed in 1909, located about 30 km from Bay of
Bengal. Tenali is divisional head quarter's mandal and revenue division. The
rnandal was formed on 25th may 1985 with an area of 131.82 sq. Kms. There
are 13 revenue villages and 18 gram Panchayats and one municipality
(Tenali, Pinapadu and Chinaravuru) in Tenali mandal. Tenali is given the
status of "Special Grade Municipality" in 1965. The area of the Municipality
has increased from 7.98 sq. km in 1981 to about 15.11 km2 in 1991 as per
record and 17.01 km2 as interpreted from satellite imageries. The municipal
administrative area comprises 36 wards.
Mangalagiri Zone is at a distance of 12 kms from the Vijayawada city
and 19kms from Guntur, which is also connected by the Vijayawada-Guntur
broad gauge line. The Mangalagiri zone is bounded by Tadepalle zone on the
northern side, Kaza zone on the southern side, Paddavadlapudi zone on the
eastern side and Mandadam zone on the western side. The Zone consists of

an urban area - Mangalagiri Town and two revenue Villages

- Nowluru and

Atmakuru. It extends over an area of 40.97 km2 and accounts for 2.45% of
total area of the VGTM-Urban region. According to 2001 Census, the total
population o f the zone was 86786, which is 3.49% of the total population of
the VGTM-UDA region.
The functional activities of VGTM reflects in bringing about faster
urbanisation in Vijayawada city during 2001-2011.

Economy: Vijayawada city has been acting as a major trade and

commerce centre in the region since ages. Vijayawada is a major market for
mangoes in the state generating a turnover worth crore of rupees. The city is
a major agricultural market for products like paddy, pulses, black gram, garlic,
sugarcane, edible oils and turmeric in the south coastal region of the state.
Equally Vijayawada is a major commercial hub for products like automobile
spare parts, textiles and furn~ture.Vijayawada is called the "Commerce Hub"
of the Andhra state, for it provides the right environ for all the agricultural and
industrial goods to be transported inlout and traded in one single place.
Vijayawada is the busiest railway junction in South India, and is the second
biggest junction in India and only railway station to have escalators after New
Delhi. The fact that Vijayawada is well connected through railways keeps it
the main hub of commercial activities.
Transport: Vijayawada is an important link in connecting the three

regions of Andhra Pradesh and is a major transit point, the National Highway
No. 5 from Chennai to Kolkata and the National Highway No. 9 from
Machilipatnam to Mumbai pass through the city connecting it to other parts of
the country. Another National Highway 221 connects the city to Jagdalpur in
Madhya Pradesh state. It is connected to other areas of the state, by state
highways and district roads.

Air: The domestic airport located at Gannavaram, about 16 km, from

city connects Vijayawada to ~ ~ d e r a b a dChennai,
.
Rajahmundry and

Bangalore. Air Deccan and Kingfisher Airlines are the two airlines flying to and
from Vijayawada.
Rail: Situated along the Chennai-Howrah and Chennai-Delhi rail
route, Vijayawada is the biggest and busiest railway junction of the South
Central Railway. It is also called the "City that never Sleeps" with reference to
railways. Vijayawada Junction had been given A-1 status by the Central
government. Krishna canal junction,

Madhuranagar, Gunadala and

Ramavarappadu are the other railway stations in the city.

Road: Good motorable roads connect V~jayawadawith all the places
within the state and also with the major cities in India. Transport by road from
Vijayawada to all the places of interest

IS

available in the form of Andhra

Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) buses. There are huge
number of buses that fly between Vijayawada and Hyderabad twenty four
hours-a-day and 365 days-a year, unlike the rest of transportation in the state.
State run city buses (APSRTC), motor driven auto and manual driven
rickshaws are the major means of transport in Vijayawada. Private Lorries
(trucks), cars and two-wheelers (motorcycles and scooters) abound as well.
Public and Private bus operators provide transport services to various parts of
the country. Vijayawada also has one of the biggest bus terminals in the
country. Pandit Nehru Bus Terminal in Vijayawada is an important link in
connecting the three regions of Andhra Pradesh, the second biggest in Asia
and is a major transit point.

Port: A new deep water port is under construction at Machilipatnam

replacing historical anchorage port, about 65 km from the city.
Social infrastructure: Health: Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is
serving with 22 Urban Health Centres, 4 Maternity Hospitals, 12 Ayurvedic, 2
Unani Centres catering different systems of medicine.

Education: Vijayawada, also called as "Vidyalaya" (Place of

Education), occupies a large amount of the educational infrastructure of
Andhra Pradesh. The city was named as "The Educational Sahara" by a
foreign ambassador earlier during the century. School Education in the city is
implemented by both the public and private sectors. The first college built in
Vijayawada is the Andhra Loyola College was established on a 110-acre plot
in the year 1953. The NTR University of Health Sciences is located in
Vijayawada, which is premier and only institution in the field of medical and
dental sciences in the state. The Corporation runs 28 high schools, 2 upper
primary schools, 75 elementary schools which covers about 28,450 students
and 622 teachers.
The city has a strong educational infrastructure but lacks in the IT
industry. There are about 20 IT firms iq Vijayawada which generated
revenues of approximately Re 42 Crore in 2006-2007 fiscal years.
Demography and Extent: The population of Vijayawada city is
8,45,217 as per 2001census. The population density increased from 9,5441
km2in 1961 to 13,6591km2in 2001.

Source: VMC and Land Records.

Places of interest:
Amaravati: It is in Guntur district formerly called as
Dhanyakataka and Andhranagari, is one of the most important
Buddhist sites in the country.

Bhavani Island: It is located on river Krishna close to the city.

Andhra Pradesh tourism is converting this 133 acres (54
hectares) land into an attractive tourist spot and a River Front
Resort.
Gandhi Hill: The first Gandhi Memorial with seven stupas in the
country was constructed on this hill at a height of 500 feet
(150m).

Kanaka Durga Temple: It is located on a hill, lndrakiladri

overlooking the city as well as river Krishna.
Kondapalli Forest: The forest provides Vijayawada with a
"green lung", 11 km from the western outskirts of Vijayawada,
spread over 30,000 acres (121.5 km2),home to Leopards, Wild
dogs, Wild boar, etc.
Kondapalli Fort: The fort was built by King Krishnadeva Raya,
is situated 16 kms from Vijayawada. This fort served as a
business centre and was used as a military training base by the
British rulers. A good picnic spot, the village is famous for toy
making with light-weight wood available on the hill forest. These
toys are famous world over as "Kondapalli toys".
Mangalagiri: It is located in Guntur district; 12 krn from
Vijayawada is the renowned temple of Lord Narasimha in
Mangalagiri on a hillock.
e

Manginapudi Beach: It is located about 70 kms from

Vijayawada.

Marakata Rajarajeswari Temple: Unique temple of goddess

completely built with stone with intricate architecture symbolizing

SRICHAKRA, the abode of mother Goddess.
Moghalrajapuram Caves: These caves are said to excavate in
5" century A.D. The caves are reputed to be the first of their

kind in South India. The idols of Lord Natraja, Vinayaka and

Arthanareeswara are carved here, but none of the statue is
available here.
Prakasam Barrage: It is built across river Krishna connecting

Guntur district. Prakasam Barrage has created a panoramic

lake. Its three canals thar run through the city give Vijayawada a
Venetian look.
Rajiv Gandhi Park: It is created by the Vijayawada Municipal

Corporation.
Sri Nagarala Sri Mahalakshmi Ammavaru Temple: It is

located in the area of Chittinagar, maintained by the Nagaralu

community.
Subramanya Swamy Temple: It is also located on a hill,

lndrakiladri overlooking the city as well as river Krishna,

maintained by lddipilli family.
Undavalli Caves: It is located in Guntur district five kilometres

from Vijayawada. A huge monolith of the Lord Buddha in

reclining posture is a magnificent sight.
Victoria Museum: A place for archaeology lovers. (Collection of

ancient sculptures, paintings, idols, weapons, cutlery and

inscriptions).

REFERENCES
BHASKARA RAO 8. AND ANANTHARAMAIAH K.M., A study of Imbalances
in Class-l Cities Patterns in Different States - Economic Times,
1 Jan 1977.

BHATT, S.C (2001) The Encyclopaedia district gazetteers of lndia

CENSUS OF INDIA (1991) Monograph Temple Town Tirupati.

CENSUS OF INDIA (2001) Monograph -Temple Town Tirupati.
DISTRICT CENSUS BOOK (PART A), VILLAGE AND TOWN DIRECTORY
(1991 & 2001) - Primary Census Abstract.
HANDBOOK OF STATISTICS

- Chittoor and

Krishna district, 2009, Chief

Planning Officer, Chittoor and Kr~shna.

MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS (2001), Tirupati..
PURNACHANDRA RAO C.H. CENSUS OF INDIA, 1981

A portrait of

population, Andhra Pradesh, Dy. Director of Census Operations,

Andhra Pradesh.
SESHAGlRl N. (Ed.), Encyclopaedia of Cities and Towns in lndia
STATISTICAL ABSTRACT OF ANDHRA PRADESH (2001 and 2004).
SUGUNA. G (1978) Tirupati urban complex structure and linkage, an
unpublished M.phil., thesis submitted to S.V. Univiersity,
Tirupati.
TIWARY S.S. and KUMAR S., Encyclopaedia of Asia: Land, Culture and
People.

VIJAYAWADA ZONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN HANDBOOK (2001)

and VGTM Urban Development Auth'ority, Vijayawada.
http:llcensus.ap.nic.in
http:Ilem.wikipedia.orglwikiNijayawada
http:l/en.wikipedia.orglwikilTi~pati

http:llwww.Censusindia.net
www.censusindia.gov.inltownslap~towns.pdf
www.ourvmc.org
www.tirupati municipal corporation. in
www,vgtmuda.gov.in

- VMC