Absence of footpaths on most of the roads in the town is putting the lives of people, especially senior citizens, at risk. Lakshmipuram Road, now housing swanky shopping malls, multiplexes, has no footpath forcing the people to walk on the road margins. The road leading from Brundavan Gardens to Gujjangundla where a large number of senior citizens walk is ridden with potholes and pebbles.
Worse is the plight of people residing in colonies like Vidya Nagar, Navabharat Nagar and Vikas Nagar as footpaths laid by the Guntur Municipal Corporation have been out of bounds for pedestrians for months. Heaps of garbage and silt is thrown on the footpath on Ring Road opposite the Bishop House at Chandramouli Nagar forcing the pedestrians to risk walking on the road.
With the footpaths were encroached by vendors, pedestrians are forced to share the road space with fast moving vehicles, an ominous sign of lack of road safety. For instance, the footpath at Koretipadu has been converted into a parking lot by an automobile dealer. Every day, the dealer parks his new vehicles on the footpath. In some cases, the footpaths run into a side wall at the compound gate.
Well, the story is not just about the incomplete footpaths but is also about the apathy of the Guntur Municipal Corporation in addressing a basic issue of road safety. Lakshmipuram Main Road, Ring Road and Arundelpet Main Road have been witnessing peak rush during mornings and evenings. Leading colleges and schools, offices, business houses and tobacco guest houses are located on the road.
The traffic is at its peak during evenings when students come out of colleges. But the absence of proper footpath has often been cited as a major reason behind accidents. Municipal Commissioner K. Kanna Babu said that a detailed plan to lay footpaths has been made. “The GMC has allotted Rs. 80 crore for laying new roads and carrying improvements. All new roads would have space for footpaths,” he said.
