Guntur resolves a 120-year land dispute, secures drainage funds, and uncovers its earliest inscriptions
Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh saw a cluster of significant developments: a 120-year-old land ownership dispute affecting 812 families across three villages was resolved with the grant of permanent title deeds, Rs 6.23 crore was allocated for a drainage system overhaul in Guntur city, and the Archaeological Survey of India announced the discovery of the earliest epigraphical references to the district's history. Separately, Union Minister of State Pemmasani Chandrasekhar called for Guntur to become a model district for sustainable agriculture.
🏢 812 families in three Guntur villages receive permanent land titles after 120-year dispute
A 120-year-old land ownership dispute in Guntur district has been resolved, with the Andhra Pradesh government granting permanent land titles to 812 families across three villages in the Prathipadu constituency, according to grihik.com reporting from September 2, 2026. The 812 families are distributed across Vatticherukuru with 515 families, Pulladigunta with 206 families, and Etukuru with 91 families, and together they hold rights over 41.46 acres that had remained entangled in disputed revenue record classifications for over a century. The families had been residing on the land for generations and had been paying applicable taxes, but had not held clear ownership documentation. The Andhra Pradesh government's decision to clarify the revenue records and issue permanent titles is expected to give these families stronger legal security and the practical ability to use their land as collateral, pursue mortgages, or invest in improvements without fear of ownership challenge. The resolution also reflects the state's broader push to strengthen digital land records to prevent future classification disputes. For hundreds of families in these three villages — many of whom had lived under property uncertainty for their entire lifetimes — the issuance of permanent title deeds marks the end of a dispute that began over a century ago and rippled across multiple generations. [6]
🗳️ Rs 6.23 crore allocated to revamp Guntur city's drainage system
Rs 6.23 crore has been allocated for the revamp of Guntur city's drainage system, according to The New Indian Express reporting from August 15, 2026. The article noted that Pemmasani said the drainage water generated in Guntur city was being discharged through three points, including Peakalavagu and Mondigate. Guntur is a city of significant size and commercial importance in Andhra Pradesh, and its drainage infrastructure has historically struggled to keep pace with urban growth. The allocation signals attention from the government to a pressing civic infrastructure need that affects residents across large parts of the city. Inadequate drainage has long caused waterlogging and flooding during monsoon rains in parts of Guntur, affecting residential neighborhoods, markets, and roadways. The Rs 6.23 crore funding, allocated for a system revamp, marks a concrete step toward improving the city's water management capacity. For residents in low-lying areas of Guntur, drainage improvements carry direct bearing on the quality of daily life and the protection of property and livelihoods during the monsoon season, making this allocation particularly meaningful for communities most vulnerable to seasonal flooding. [8]
🗳️ MoS Pemmasani calls for Guntur to be made a model district for sustainable agriculture
Union Minister of State Pemmasani Chandrasekhar called for Guntur district to be developed into a model district for sustainable agriculture, according to a report from News On AIR. Guntur is one of the most agriculturally significant districts in Andhra Pradesh, historically known for chilli production on a scale that makes it one of the largest chilli trading markets in Asia, as well as cotton, tobacco, and food crops. A call from a central government minister to position Guntur as a model for sustainable agricultural practices carries both symbolic and policy weight: it invites targeted attention from agricultural research bodies, central government schemes, and extension services. Sustainable agriculture, which encompasses water-efficient cultivation methods, reduced chemical inputs, soil health management, and diversified cropping, is increasingly urgent across the Krishna-Guntur belt where groundwater depletion and climate-linked rainfall variability are persistent concerns. The minister's statement, issued through All India Radio's News On AIR service, signals an aspiration for Guntur's farming communities to move toward practices that protect long-term agricultural viability while maintaining the district's central role in Andhra Pradesh's rural economy. [1]
🎬 ASI discovers earliest epigraphical references to Guntur's history
The Archaeological Survey of India announced the discovery of the earliest epigraphical references to Guntur's history, according to a report in The Hindu. Epigraphical records, which include inscriptions on stone slabs, copper plates, and other durable materials, are among the most valuable primary sources available for reconstructing the pre-modern history of towns and regions in South India, and the discovery of the earliest such references to Guntur as a named place carries meaningful historical significance. Guntur's history extends deep into antiquity, with the region having been part of successive dynastic spheres including those of the Satavahanas and successive rulers who left material and epigraphical traces across the Krishna-Guntur plains. The ASI's discovery thus pushes back the documented historical record for the district in a concrete, verifiable way. For scholars of Telugu history, local residents with a sense of their city's deep roots, and the broader Telugu-speaking community worldwide, the announcement adds new depth to Guntur's understanding of its own antiquity and its place within the long arc of South Indian civilization. [5]
Sources: [6] grihik.com · [8] The New Indian Express · [1] News On AIR · [5] The Hindu