Residents of Khanapur, a tribal constituency, are once again disappointed after promises to elevate their area to a revenue division remain unfulfilled. Since 2018, there have been several proposals to give Khanapur revenue division status, but these have not made any significant progress and are still stuck in official paperwork.
Former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had promised during two election campaigns that Khanapur would be upgraded. More recently, during the Assembly election, current Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, along with local MLA Vedma Bojju, also assured the people that they would address this issue.
However, despite hopes that Khanapur would be included in the recent cabinet announcements, the constituency was left out. Other districts received new revenue divisions, while Khanapur remained on the sidelines.
Khanapur serves not only its own residents but also those from nearby areas like Kadem, Pembi, and Dasturabad, as well as several tribal panchayats. People from remote villages such as Alampelli in Kadem Mandal and Munyal in Gangapur Dasturabad Mandal currently have to travel 70 to 80 kilometers to reach the Nirmal Revenue Division center. This long-distance travel puts a significant burden on the local community.
Criticism is growing that local representatives have neglected Khanapur’s needs. This neglect is especially evident when comparing the recent establishment of a new mandal in Eturu Nagaram in Mulugu district, while Khanapur’s requests are still unmet.