With the vehicular traffic increasing considerably, especially after part of city coming under the capital region, officials are worried that the existing road network would be insufficient to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
The city is already witnessing traffic jams with the drivers being forced to face bumper-to-bumper traffic on the main roads. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), in its bid to address these problems, had planned to launch road widening works in line with the master plan prepared by the VGTM-UDA in the past.
But, the setting up of the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has changed the situation, ever since it gave a scope for scrapping of the VGTM-UDA master plan. There is every possibility that the CRDA would embark upon preparation of a new master plan with focus on capital infrastructure, says an official from the erstwhile VGTM-UDA.
As a result, the VMC road widening plans had been put on the backburner.
The Corporation officials had identified 11 junctions and seven main roads, including Pasuvula Hospital road (Giripuram Sikhamani to Bandar canal till NH 5 road), Y.V.Rao Hospital road, Dental College road, Christurajpuram road, Pulleti Kaluva Donka road, Nirmala convent road and Darsipeta to N.S.M School stretch for undertaking the road widening works as envisaged by the previous master plan.
In addition, emphasis is being laid on the C.R. Rao Marg road, which leads to the State Guest House, as there is frequent movement of Ministers, senior authorities and VIPs. The narrow road is leading to regular traffic snarls, putting motorists into a lot of inconvenience.
The factors that were taken into consideration while preparing the master plan were different. With the formation of CRDA, the parameters will have to be changed, especially that of the road networking plan.
This apart, mega projects like Metro Rail, Kanaka Durga flyover and others are in the offing. All these issues will have to be examined and a new master plan may be prepared, admitted a senior official of VMC.
“Funding is another big challenge. Considering all these factors, road widening works will have to be postponed until the higher authorities issue clear instructions,” he added.
With the formation of CRDA, a new master plan may be prepared. The parameters of road networking plan may change too
- A VMC official
