It is a curious sight to see a beautiful road of 100-ft width with an attractive median running through for most part of the length, but with incomplete portions on both ends defeating its very own purpose.
The four-km-long link road to connect National Highway-5 and NH-9, which runs from Enikepadu to Tadigadapa, for which a foundation stone was laid in September 2007, has been completed for most part of the length. But the officials of Vijayawada Guntur Tenali Mangalagiri – Urban Development Authority (VGTM-UDA) have not been able to remove certain obstacles on both ends. This has brought the project to a grinding halt.
Those intending to use the road will have to put up with the inconvenience of a bumpy ride for some distance at the entry and exit, irrespective of whether they enter the road from the Enikepadu side or Tadigadapa side.
After entering the widened and well-laid road, it is difficult to resist the temptation of pressing the accelerator for a good cruising experience.
The UDA officials say the owner of a property located at the beginning of the road on Tadigadapa side near Sri Chaitanya College had initially moved a court of law for a stay on the widening.
When he could not succeed, the property owner moved the court once again on the grounds that the field channel running along the link road could not be closed. There are also a few properties on the Enikepadu side that need to be removed for the widening of the road and linking it to NH-5.
As a result, vehicle users coming from NH-5 to go towards NH-9 or vice-versa are now forced to take a slightly circuitous and bumpy route.
“We hope to complete the widening of the link road on the Enikepadu side within a month as the work has already started by convincing the property owners. But completing the road work on the Tadigadapa side may take some more time.
This can be done by resolving the issue of relocation of field channel with the Irrigation authorities,” says Y.S.B.S. Vithal, Vice-Chairman, VGTM-UDA.
The link road was thought of as a solution to the traffic congestion frequently experienced in areas like Patamata, Autonagar, Ring Road, Ramavarappadu and Prasadampadu on Bandar Road and Eluru Road.
The road was developed by widening the donka that passes through Kanuru and Poranki on Bandar Road and Enikepadu and Nidamanuru on Eluru Road.
The UDA estimated the project cost at Rs.11.17 crore, though it did not involve any land acquisition.
More than 14 acres of land was taken over for the widening of the road, and most of the 190 owners whose properties were affected had consented to give away their lands in return for additional floor area ratio for their new structures in the form of transferable development rights. Though the Irrigation Department had given, at the time of laying of foundation stone itself, its in-principle consent for the shifting of the field channel towards east by excavating a new channel, the process of getting the consent on paper has not been completed.
