The first LED light project to illuminate the heavy-traffic Hanumathavaka-Kommadi stretch on the national highway is dogged by delay.
Work on the project should have started about three months ago but has not taken off yet. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation has already served notice on the Hyderabad-based company that got the tender for the work.
The State Government accorded administrative sanction as early as in 2010 for erecting the lights but the process seems to be taking quite a long time.
According officials, a 15-km stretch between Hanumantavaka and Kommadi is to be lighted up with LED lamps at an estimated cost of Rs.3.15 crore.
Of the cost, Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority (VUDA) contributes Rs.1 crore and the remaining is to be borne by GVMC. Tenders had been finalised four months ago and an agreement reached three months ago.
Work should have been started by now. “Last month a notice has been issued to the company. Now the second notice will also be issued asking the company to start the work,” an official said.
Accidents galore
At a meeting recently, Police Commissioner J. Purnachandra Rao stated that illuminating the stretch could result in bringing down accidents.
With the city expanding towards Madhurawada, residential areas have developed on either side of the highway.
Police say Hanumanthavaka, Visalakshinagar, Adarshnagar, Car Shed and Kommadi have become vulnerable points because of lack of lights. Unlike in the past, traffic from Hanumantavaka-Boyapalem has increased considerably.
In 2010, about 60 deaths occurred and nearly 90 were injured in 52 accidents and in the next year in 40 accidents 15 persons died and 20 injured. This year so far 20 accidents occurred killing 24 persons and injuring 20, according to the police. The accidents mostly involve two-wheelers and autorickshaws. Pedestrians also face difficulties even to cross the road after shopping etc.More
Tenders called
In an effort to bring more areas under LED lighting, the GVMC has already called for tenders for the stretch between the Steel Plant Toll Gate and E. Marripalem, about 8 km, at an estimated cost of Rs.1.25 crore. The process of finalising tenders for extending the stretch by 5 km on the highway from Kommadi to Marikavalasa with a cost of Rs. 50 lakh is under process.
