A roundtable convened by the city-based Tax Payers’ Association on Friday passed a resolution opposing the proposed construction of a flyover across Benz circle connecting NTR circle at Patamata and Hotel D.V. Manor on Bandar road.
The roundtable suggested to the authorities to plan the construction in such a way that the flyover begins and ends on National Highway – 5, so that the traffic problem being experienced at Nirmala convent junction, Benz circle and Jyothi Mahal junction could be solved.
Secretary of the association M.V. Anjaneyulu presided over the roundtable, which was held at Andhra Chamber of Commerce and Industry and attended by people from a cross section of the society. Besides a few traders who own shops and commercial establishments around Benz circle, secretary of the Andhra Chamber B.S. Koteswara Rao, managing director of Efftronics Systems Private Limited D. Rama Krishna, CPI (M) floor leader in the VMC general body Ch. Babu Rao were among those who participated in the discussion.
The speakers in unison opposed the proposed flyover, saying the project would only place additional burden on the exchequer of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation. As the present width of the Mahatma Gandhi road was just 100 feet and at least 30 feet of this will soon be taken away for the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project, there will be no space left for the movement of vehicles on the road beneath the flyover, they pointed out.
Mr. Koteswara Rao and Mr. Rama Krishna argued in favour of construction of the flyover on NH-5 to effectively address the traffic problem at Benz circle. “It will not be a difficult task if the local elected representatives take the issue seriously.
There is no hard and fast rule that no flyover should be constructed on the national highways,” Mr. Koteswara Rao said. Mr. Babu Rao wanted a traffic study to be taken up on Mahatma Gandhi road before commencing the construction of flyover.
He felt that the traffic problem on the arterial road would only worsen if the proposed project materialises. President of the Tax Payers Association V. Sambi Reddy said that the project could be taken up in the event of doubling the width of Mahatma Gandhi road.
Developing a national highway connecting Kanakadurgamma Vaaradhi, Yanamalakuduru and Nidamanuru and diverting the heavy vehicles on the new road would solve the traffic problem to a major extent.
He said that the association would mobilise public opinion on the proposed project in a phased manner and in various forms.
