# Kanigiri

Kanigiri is a Town in Prakasam district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Kanigiri mandal in Kanigiri revenue division. Kanigiri Municipality is 3rd largest ULB in the Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh State. And is spread over an area of 49.30 sq.kms. with a population of 55,755 (2024 census). It is known for famous for its Kanigiri hill.

## Etymology

The name is a vernacular transformation of Kanakagiri (Kanaka meaning gold and Giri meaning Hill). In olden times it was said that the town adjoining the hill was called Kanakapatnam.

## Geography

Kanigiri Mandal is located on the south side of the Prakasam District having a geographical area of around 490 km$^2$. Kanigiri Municipality is the 6th largest municipality in Prakasam with an area of 55.36 km$^2$. Physio-graphically, most of the part of the district is a level plain with an average height of 300 meters showing a gradient towards the East (coast). The remaining Western part is however rugged and higher in elevation (up to 1,200 meters) where the Nallamala and Velikonda hill ranges are the characteristic features of the Landscape. Kanigiri Municipality has a maximum elevation of 380 meters which is on Kanigiri Hill located on the Northern edge of the municipality. Excluding the hill, the Kanigiri Municipality's average elevation is 95 meters. The minimum elevation is 70 meters and the maximum elevation is 120 meters. The hill base starts at 120 meters and goes up to 380 meters.

## Climate

Kanigiri has a tropical climate, specifically a tropical wet and dry climate (Aw) under the Köppen climate classification, Kanigiri is located near the coast of the Bay of Bengal. The town is surrounded by the range of Eastern Ghats. It has an average elevation of 101 metres (334 feet), and enjoys a hot climate for most of the year.

## Regional Connectivity

Road
Kanigiri is a town in Kanigiri Mandal in Prakasam District of Andhra Pradesh State, India. It is located on the North-West side of the Eastern Ghats. NH 565 passes through the Municipality which connects Kanigiri to Hyderabad on the Northern side and Nellore on the Southern side and further connects to Chennai via NH 16. Other than that, the Ollapalem-Vemulapadu road (Kandukur-Kanigiri Road) which is a State Highway, connects Kanigiri to Kandukur towards the East and further connects it to NH 16. On the Western side, the State Highway connects Kanigiri to Kurnool.
Rail
The nearest railway Station is at Donakonda which is exactly 50 km from Kanigiri Municipality. The railway station at Ongole, Markapur Road railway station and Singarayakonda is around 80 km, 60 km and 65 km away from the Kanigiri Municipality. There is a proposed railway line from Nadikudi to Srikalahasti which would pass through Kanigiri.
Air
Vijayawada, which has the nearest airport to Kanigiri is at a distance of 200 km. Other nearby international airports are in Hyderabad, Tirupati and Chennai. All of these airports have good connectivity with other major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru and other international Cities. There is a proposal for a Green Field Domestic Airport at Ongole.

## Transport

Kanigiri is connected by road to all other cities in Andhra Pradesh by Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. National Highway 565 passes through Kanigiri, which connects Hyderabad and Yerpedu.
Newly constructing Expressway From Vijaywada to Bangalore is passing through the kanigiri town.
Indian Railways: Newly Constructing Railway Line from Nadikudi to Sri Kalahasthi Nadikudi-Srikalahasti section will pass through Kanigiri Town and Kanigiri Railway Station is under construction.

## Demographic Profile

As of 2011 Census, the total population of the Kanigiri was 37,420, of which male population constitutes 18,886 and female population of 18,534. It has a literacy rate of 77.55 per cent. The population under six years of age are 4,065. Almost 50% of the Mandal Population lives in Kanigiri Municipality. The population growth rate is gradually declining due to outmigration. Kanigiri is an urban area and the maximum workforce is engaged in non-primary activities. The average household size of 4 and maximum households are engaged in either agriculture or daily wage activities.

## Administration

Kanigiri is also declared as Municipality during 2013-2014 and also a constituency. There are total 20 administrative wards in Kanigiri Municipality. Based on the received Revenue Ward Boundary, the total area of the Kanigiri Municipality is around 47.72 km$^2$.

## Civic services

Drinking water
Residents depended on monsoon rains for drinking water; currently, water from the reservoir Nagarjuna Sagar Dam via pumplines reaches the town through a plant near Doruvu.
The first cases of endemic skeletal fluorosis (and its neurological signs) in the world were recorded in the Podili, Darsi and Kanigiri areas of Andhra Pradesh in 1937.

## Planning

To achieve the Goal of Electronic Governance for all the Services of the ULBs, large Scale and detailed GIS Base Maps have been required. To achieve this purpose, the Government have already prepare GIS Base Maps for all 110 Urban Local Bodies of Andhra Pradesh under AMRUT Scheme. Kanigiri is one of the selected ULBs under GIS based Master Plan. DT&CP has taken the initiative to prepare a Revised Master Plan for the year 2041, and selected Design and Planning Counsel, Ahmedabad through tender. The overall objective of the Kanigiri Master Plan is to create enabling spatial and land use planning framework to achieve the Vision of Kanigiri Master Plan in order to promote, guide and rationalize planned development, to encourage existing economic activities to grow by providing adequate infrastructure in terms of the road network and preservation of other natural features. Also, to formulate infrastructure projects addressing the needs of water, solid waste collection, drainage etc.

## Politics

Current MLA is Mukku Ugra Narasimha Reddy, He has won the 2024 Legislative Assembly election's. Burra Madhu Sudhan Yadav has won the 2019 Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections from YSRCP. 2019 Burra Madhusudan Yadav won from ysrcp as MLA 2014-19 Kadiri Babu Rao won election from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). 2009-2014 Mukku Ugra Narasimha Reddy won the election from the Indian National Congress(INC).
In 2024 state assembly elections Mukku Ugra Narasimha Reddy TDP win the elections with thumping majority over Daddala Narayana Yadav (YSRCP).

## Landmarks

There is a hill in Kanigiri Municipality in the Northern side of the town. The hill is under the ownership of the forest department. There is a temple at the top and at the base of the hill and a water body where the Water Treatment Plant and Water Pumping station are located. There are mines located on the Eastern side of Kanigiri Municipality in Sankavaram Village. Materials like granite are mined out of these mines.

## Education

The primary and secondary school education is imparted by government, aided and private schools, under the School Education Department of the state.The medium of instruction followed by different schools are English and Telugu. ABR College Engineering is a famous college in Kanigiri. It has provided education requirements for decades now.