Andhra Pradesh Notifies Common Zoning Regulations, 2026

Andhra Pradesh notified the Common Zoning Regulations, 2026 on 18 July 2026 to create a uniform land-use and urban development framework across the state. The regulations apply to Master Plans, Zonal Development Plans and General Town Planning Schemes, and they exclude the capital city area.

Land-use regulation in urban planning

Land-use regulation is a statutory planning tool used by state and urban authorities to classify land for specific purposes such as housing, industry, transport and recreation. In India, Master Plans and Zonal Development Plans are prepared under town and country planning laws to guide development control, infrastructure placement and permitted activities in urban areas.

Common Zoning Regulations, 2026

The Common Zoning Regulations, 2026 replace earlier zoning frameworks and supersede G.O.Ms.No.216 issued on 22 October 2025 by the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department. The new framework reduces the earlier 16 land-use categories to nine standard categories.

• Residential zones cover housing and related neighbourhood uses.
• Commercial zones cover trade, offices and market-related activities.
• Public and semi-public zones cover institutions, utilities and civic facilities.
• Recreational zones cover parks, open spaces and leisure facilities.
• Industrial zones cover manufacturing and processing activities.
• Transportation zones cover roads, terminals and transport infrastructure.
• Mixed use zones permit a combination of compatible urban functions.
• Agricultural zones cover farming and allied rural land uses.
• Development-restricted zones cover areas with limited or controlled development.

Negative-list zoning and regional planning

The framework uses a zone-wise negative-list approach, under which compatible activities are allowed unless they are specifically prohibited. This method is used in planning systems to define permitted use through restrictions rather than exhaustive approvals. On 17 July 2026, Andhra Pradesh constituted an Implementation Committee for the Amaravati Economic Region to integrate regional spatial planning and land use across nine districts. The state also approved the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Master Plan 2041 for Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Vizianagaram districts.

Important Facts for Exams

• Master Plans are long-term statutory documents used for land-use allocation and urban growth management.
• Zonal Development Plans provide area-specific planning controls within a larger master plan framework.
• Town planning schemes are used to reorganise land parcels and provide infrastructure in planned urban areas.
• Negative-list zoning permits all uses except those expressly barred in a notified zone.

Key static facts on Andhra Pradesh planning

Andhra Pradesh has major urban planning regions including the Amaravati Economic Region and the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region. The Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Master Plan 2041 is a long-term planning document for urban expansion and land-use regulation in the northern coastal region of the state.