Absence of safety measures in road widening works as part of the ‘Smart City’ project has turned into a major cause for concern for road users at the ever-busy Sarpavaram junction.
There have been a series of minor accidents in the last one month, a majority of at night after street lights were turned off to facilitate the works.
The ‘Smart Road’ project undertaken by the Kakinada Smart City Corporation Limited (KSCCL) is intended to expand a stretch of eight kilometres of road from Sarpavaram junction to Balayogi statue at Cheediga at an estimated cost of ₹98.7 crore. The main idea is to ensure all the cable connections including electricity and telephones are underground, besides arranging ‘Smart’ bus shelters en route.
After removal of the encroachments, digging works are in progress either side of the arterial road.
“The less said the better about the safety norms being adopted. In the absence of a makeshift retaining wall and the street lights, vehicles are ramming into the newly dug pits almost every night,” observes V. Jagannadha Swamy, an advocate who stays close to the Bhavanarayana Swamy temple.
“There is an immediate need to construct a makeshift retaining wall along the road stretch where works are in progress and arrange alternative lighting arrangement, as the street lights are off for the renovation of the cabling system,” he adds.
Ch. Venkata Rao, a fruit vendor at the junction, observes that motorcycle riders and car drivers are falling prey to the pits.
Contractors put
on notice
“The accidents are causing traffic jams on the already crammed road. Though they are not the major ones, they can be prevented by taking simple precautions like installation of radium sign boards,” he points out.
Chief Executive Officer of the KSSCL J. Sujay Arun, however, says the issue of road users’ safety has already been brought to the notice of the contractors and their response is awaited. “We have already told them to look into the issue immediately. If there is no response from their end, we are gearing up to initiate action against the contractors,” he explains.
