Muvvalavanipalem Colony, which is divided into 16 residential sectors, is said to be the Asia’s largest and well developed township with a population of more than a lakh residents. Sectors 7 and 8 in the colony have a total population of more than 10,000. Ushodaya Junction is the life line of the area with government offices and several educational institutions dotting the landscape of Sector 8. Like other sectors the area is beautiful with good roads, sanitation and greenery. Sector 7 A.S. Raja College on one side and state of the art Rythu Bazzar catering to all sectors of the township. One thing that is irking local people is the proposal to shift the Rythu Bazzar from its present prominent location and use the site for construction of commercial complex. Shanti, who regularly visits the Rythu Bazaar, opposed the proposal saying “why don’t the leaders think the way people think. Have we asked for commercial complex? Do they think the Rythu Bazaar is not a valuable thing to stay in prime locality? For women a vegetable market is more important than a commercial complex. Why do they defy people’s will and impose their own decisions.” Another woman Manjula echoed similar opinion on the issue saying “MVP Colony is ours and no outsider can decide what is best for us”.
Recently the association representing all the 16 sectors made a representation to Minister for Ports and Infrastructure Ganta Srinivasa Rao on retaining the vegetable market at its present location.
The imposing buildings like CBI office, Income Tax tower, BSNL office and the office of the Post Master General are in the sector 8.
Even in a well developed colony like the MVP certain omissions are evident. The residential layouts in sector 7 and 8 do not have space designated for parks. Ramana Rao, bank employee, along with other residents urges the GVMC officials to identify vacant spaces belonging to the government and allot space for developing a park.
The local residents point out that the TTD e-Seva centre in the Sector 8 has a large unused space which can be spared for the park.
Residents of Sector 7 and 8 feel that the colony is devoid of a common community hall which is badly needed for the MVP community.
Surprisingly in such a vast area like the one, the planners failed to think of a hall for community gatherings. The alternative site being suggested for Rythu Bazzar should be given for a public cause like a public park with community hall, say members of MVP Colony Residents Welfare Association. How can the government think otherwise when an association representing 12 sectors appealed to the Minister and submitted memorandum in support of their demand.
There are several senior citizens, who are leading lonely life in the two sectors . A statement of one senior citizen that “we think of our children but our children do not think of our plight in the old age” sums up the mood of those in the evening of their life. Children are living in distant lands and some though living in the city prefer to live away from parents at the behest of their wives, says another lonely senior citizen reflecting the despondency in them. Life in the MVP Colony neighbourhood is something like “Every one for himself” and “We have everyone and we have nobody” says Keshava Rao, a septuagenarian morning walker.
The common complaint among the residents was the fast changing demography of MVP Colony which is fast turning into a commercial hub from its earlier status of a serine residential township. Residents are only thinking in terms of surrendering their houses for raising commercial complexes and sky scrapers for housing educational institutions, banks, hotels and so on. The original trait should not be lost, feel locals.
Residents allege that some GVMC personnel were accepting mamools from the commercial developers and ignoring violations, feel the residents.
Residents in the two sectors complain that GVMC is giving drinking water only for 10 minutes. They also feel that if every resident digs bore-wells, water table in the area would plummet soon.
There were times when water used to be found after digging a depth of 20 feet but now unless one drills more than 100 feet, water is not assured.
Another complaint from local people is that affluent students from other districts studying in local universities and colleges are hiring houses in groups causing sometimes law and order problems.
A resident Usha Rani, however, says “MVP colony is a beautiful place to live and the evenings are lively with roadside eateries”.
