hief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has a camp office in the city. And, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has come out with a slogan describing the city as one on the fast track.
But, the pothole-filled roads make one wonder whether the city is really on the fast track, or is gradually losing direction and why the government is not taking any steps to make the city roads motorable.
Several roads including those in the core areas of the city are in a bad shape. There is no effort to fill the potholes even on arterial roads to main roads M.G. Road, Polyclinic Road which the VVIPs take on a daily basis. In some places, the craters are very deep.
A journey on the city roads has turned a nightmare for motorists and pedestrians as well though monsoon was not much active. Even walking on some of the roads has become difficult as roads are filled with stagnated water.
The lack of response from VMC has drawn angry reactions from the local people, who have been bearing the brunt of bad roads. The roads developed craters due to lack of proper maintenance, leaving motorists fuming and fretting.
Motorists complain that the officials concerned are least bothered to take up even minor repairs. One can see exposed gravel on a road near PVP shopping mall on Bandar Road. The road has not been asphalted.
A journey from Bandar Road to Jammichettu Centre turns nightmarish. The residents of
Suryaraopet lament that even patch work of potholes was not taken up at any place.
“It is a challenge to drive or ride on this road. The huge crater in the middle of road is a hurdle for any oncoming traffic. The potholes make it worse as drivers cannot concentrate at all. I have almost stopped using my two-wheeler since I had a few close encounters here,” says Vijayakrishna, a motorist.
“Travelling on these roads can be a nightmare. Non-adherence to traffic rules by many motorists on roads full of craters is compounding the problem,” says Ramya, a resident of Krishnalanka.
It is a challenge to drive or ride on this road. The huge crater in the middle of road is a hurdle for any oncoming traffic. The potholes make it worse as drivers cannot concentrate at all. I have almost stopped using my two-wheeler since I had a few close encounters here.
Vijayakrishna,
Motorist
