The second day of the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) general body meeting on Thursday witnessed an animated discussion on various subjects, including Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project, Deepam gas connections and housing for the poor.
Participating in a discussion on the proposed flyover at Benz Circle and revised detailed project report for BRTS, CPI (M) Floor leader Ch. Babu Rao insisted that the officials submit the details of original project report and revised report before it was recorded in the general body meeting.
Referring to Benz Circle flyover, he sought to know which agency would bear the cost of the flyover. In case the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Roads and Buildings Department were involved, what would be the share of the VMC, he asked. Municipal Commissioner G. Ravi Babu stated that Chief Minister K. Rosaiah had addressed a letter to the NHAI to shoulder the entire financial burden.
Flyover
CPI Floor leader D. Sankar said, “The proposed flyover at Benz Circle appears to be like an utopian idea, as it is not materialising. But there is so much of publicity in the media about it.”
TDP corporator Koneru Rama Devi suggested that the flyover be constructed on National Highway-5 from Dr. Ramesh Hospital to Skew Bridge, instead of on Bandar Road in view of the limited road width on the latter.
Vijayawada Central MLA Malladi Vishnu stated that the flyover would be constructed from fire station (PWD grounds) to NTR circle, while Mr. Ravi Babu said that flyover would begin at D.V. Manor and end at NTR Circle.
Participating in a discussion on revised guidelines for Deepam connections, the corporators expressed the view that the number of connections sanctioned to each division was not sufficient. Likewise, with the revised guidelines, it would be very difficult to pick and choose the beneficiaries as the number of sanctions was meagre, they said.
Housing
On housing for the poor, former Mayor Mallika Begum, corporators Abdul Qader, Kareemulla and others suggested that some houses proposed to be constructed on Wakf land be allotted to Muslim minorities. They said that most of the Muslims were poor, and hence they should be given preference in the allotment of houses to be constructed on Wakf Board land.
