One has to either slide down or climb up to navigate through the cramped streets of Pandi Metta, located in Maharanipeta.
The layout formed in 1942 became a full-fledged colony after a couple of decades, ushering in thousands of residents to share the space.
Apartment culture
“Back then, the property belonged to Rani Kamala Devi, daughter of Zamindar of Chemudu. Much before the urban culture gained prominence, casuarina and cashew plantations used to grow extensively here. For a very long time, the area was untouched by apartment culture. Today, even the roads have been narrowed down to raise buildings,” says Dadi Sriramakrishna, a resident who has been living in the colony for over a decade.
Those who have been residing here for several years say the initial layout indicated 40 feet width road, however, the fact is far from reality. “Now the width of the road is almost reduced to 10 feet. The roads were laid long back and need a complete makeover as they are in a very bad shape. Garbage maintenance is quite irregular in the colony as sanitation workers never turn up on time,” says Venkata Lakshmi, another resident.
Another major shortcoming in the neighbourhood is defunct streetlights. “It is a big task for me to reach home after wrapping up my night shift as most of the streets remain extremely dark. Despite the issue being brought to the notice of the concerned officials several times, nothing much has been done so far,” says A. Sirisha, an employee of HSBC Electronic Data Processing India, who resides in Pandi Metta.
Since a part of the colony is located close to Ootagedda, residents have to put up with the unbearable stench that emanates from the canal. This apart, theft complaints are also cropping up in the area. Residents say that an effective night patrolling is the need of the hour.
Zone III Commissioner Sri Bapi Raju; Helpdesk No: 0891-2707299; Mobile no: 9848882593.
