One-third of the roads in the city are damaged, causing untold misery to the denizens. While the hapless city-dwellers look to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials for a solution, the latter plead helplessness citing fund-crunch. “It will take at least Rs.80 crore to repair the roads,” said a senior VMC official.
Angry reactionsThe VMC response has drawn angry reactions from the local people, who have been bearing the brunt of bad roads. Satish, a resident of Autonagar, argues that the official contention does not hold water. “When the corporation is firm on collecting taxes, why can’t it do its duty properly?” he questions.
The VMC officials, meanwhile, say that the government has not responded to its plea to sanction funds as a special grant. “We have not received any communication in this regard so far but we are hopeful of getting funds after elections,” says the official.
Even as the blame game is on, the public will have to put up with bad roads until a new government takes charge and approves funds to the VMC. Some roads were dug up for laying drainage pipelines, while others developed craters due to lack of proper maintenance, leaving motorists fuming and fretting. Vast stretches on the ever busy Bandar Road, Benz Circle, Autonagar junction and One Town are badly damaged.
No minor repairs tooMotorists complain that the officials concerned are least bothered to take up even minor repairs. One can see exposed gravel on a road at the Autonagar junction and also in front of a bus stop on Bandar Road. The situation at Benz Circle has turned from bad to worse as motorists have to drive on a dusty road full of potholes. “Travel 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 Krishna Mohan Rao, a motorcyclist from Patamata. “It is high time the corporation chalked out an action plan for road repairs before monsoon,” he says.
