Will the bifurcation of the State ensure the much-needed positive change to the city landscape? Will the new set of people’s representatives that are going to be elected in the next couple of months ensure necessary infrastructure? These are some of the serious questions apparently bothering the denizens.
Projects such as Outer Ring Road to connect the two National Highways (NH-9 and NH-5), a flyover at Benz Circle, a flyover or extension of the road between Indrakeeladri Hill and Krishna River, a super-speciality hospital and a super-speciality veterinary hospital have been pending for over 10 years. Ironically, it was personal ego that mattered more for the leaders than public issues and solutions.
For instance, former MP Lagadapati Rajagopal won two elections with the above promises in his individual manifesto.
The flyover and extension of road was later reduced to a silly street drama between the Congress and the Telugu Desam.
When TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that he was going to stage a dharna demanding the flyover, Mr. Rajagopal countered it with another dharna, holding that it was not needed.
This was not all, whatever little development in progress is infested with quality issues.
A portion of the flyover that was under construction near Ramavarapadu Circle recently collapsed, and the reasons behind the disaster have not been spotted to date.
Detailing the immediate infrastructural needs of the city, former Mayor Tadi Sakuntala said the city required a proper underground drainage system. Hundreds of people living on the hill slopes need to be relocated.
“A huge grant of Rs. 1,600 crore was sanctioned for developing infrastructure like roads, drinking water supply network, underground drainage and sanitation under the JNNURM scheme, but the result is dismal for some reason,” she alleged.
Vijayawada Zone Confederation of Indian Industries president V.V.M. Krishna said: “Leave alone flyovers, most roads in the city do not have proper footpaths, public toilets and parks. It was so concerning that these basic facilities are not given due importance even in the developing areas,” he stressed.
This time round, the people’s mandate will only go to the ones who can ensure these facilities to public, Ms. Sakuntala said.
