Fresh marking of the main road from Jagadamba Junction to Kotha Road in One Town area brought to the fore the widening issue once again with the traders and building owners opposing it.
The widening of the road ranging between 30 feet and 50 feet from Jagadamba Junction to Kota Veedhi was proposed to 100 feet by VUDA as per its master plan.
When marking was done for widening for 100 feet traders and building owners have opposed it. They formed The Visakhapatnam Old City Building Owners and Merchants Welfare Association and represented the issue to Visakhapatnam South MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar. They urged him to retain the character of the One Town area and not to widen the road as it would affect their business and livelihood. He assured them that the widening would be confined to 60 feet.
However, fresh marking for widening to 80 feet from Jagadamba Junction to Kotha Road was done on May 31, according to Joint Action Committee convener Kandula Nagaraju.
A fortnight ago the association went around collecting letters on the widening up to Kotha Road and 99 per cent opposed it, he said.
With the area up to Kotha Road mostly comprising tenants, their interests also must be protected, he says.
Offering them loans at lower interest, paying for furniture damaged and providing them alternative shops should be considered, he said.
The letters served by GVMC stated that widening of the road to 80 feet in the first phase and no mention has been made about either transferable development rights (TDRs) or compensation to structures.
The gold merchants were in favour of widening to 60 feet from Kotha Road, sources said. But they are demanding four TDRs and actual compensation for structural losses.
With no firm promise on any issue, the JAC of the associations comprising 27 associations is opposing widening. “In the absence of any such concrete assurance, we want the character of the One Town to be retained, heritage buildings to be developed and parking to be improved,” says Mr. Nagaraju.
