Minister for Roads and Buildings Sidda Raghava Rao, along with MLC Sharif on Wednesday interacted with the residents of the Gandhi Road and Tilak Road in the old town area of Anantapur, the expansion of which had become the bone of contention between local TDP MLA Prabhakar Chowdary and MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy.
While Mr Chowdary argued for expansion of the roads only to the extent of illegal occupation on them by the local traders and residents, Mr. Diwakar Reddy had been an active advocate of expansion of both roads by at least 10 feet on either side of the road.
The roads which form the two most important business centres in the town and in the district too, have been a crowded lot since many decades although the decision to make the roads one way meant considerable reduction in traffic issues in the recent past.
While Mr Chowdary argues for creation of alternate roads rather than displacing the existing residents, possibly stoking religious passions on account of the decades old masjid in the area, Mr Reddy continues to insist on the expansion.
With Mr Reddy holding a protest demanding expansion a day ago and levelling accusations of incapacity against Mr. Chowdary and Anantapur Mayor Madamanchi Swaroopa, the issue garnered the attention of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu who promptly called the warring parties to Vijayawada and told them that a committee comprising Mr Raghava Rao, Urban Development Minister P. Narayana besides TDP MLC Sharif would speak to the residents of these roads, confer among themselves and take a decision in consultation with the Chief Minister himself.
Mr Raghava Rao and Mr. Sharif sought the opinion of residents of both roads on expansion.
“We have clearly told him that we are against the road-widening programme. As is, there is very little space in the shops abutting the road. Any further widening will effectively destroy our livelihoods. Besides the Ammavari sala temple will also be affected. This is unacceptable,” said Srinivasulu, a trader, speaking with The Hindu .
Meanwhile, the Muslims living in the area also informed the Minister of their clear opposition for the expansion saying the mosque on the Gandhi Road would, under no circumstances, be allowed to be shifted or its space curtailed by demolition on account of expansion.
Speaking to the media, Mr Raghava Rao said the concerns of the residents of the area would be kept in consideration while taking a decision in the matter.
He later held further consultations with all stake holders including the R&B officials at the
Zilla Parishad meeting hall on the issue.
