The candidates in the fray from Visakha South Assembly segment may not find it easy to woo the voters in the One Town area this time as the growing resentment among people over poor civic amenities in the locality is quite palpable.
The voters complain that even as Visakhapatnam has entered the smart city league, basic civic amenities such as water supply remain a far cry in the One Town areas, adding that they will confront the candidates of all political parties with these issues.
Resentment is brewing among the residents over choked drains, indiscriminate digging of roads and stoppage of water supply through municipal taps. One Town is a prominent area of the constituency, which was once the main hub of Visakhapatnam before the earstwhile town transformed into a growing metropolis.
TDP leader Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar who emerged victorious from this Assembly segment in 2014, is contesting again, while the YSRCP has fielded former MLA Dronamraju Srinivas.
The residents complain that the municipal taps have been lying defunct for the past several months.
Water woes
“The reasons for it are best known to the authorities. How many times we must complain to get this issue resolved?” asks Mohammed Ali Khan, a senior citizen from Kotaveedhi.
The residents say that chocked drains is a perennial problem of this area. “Choked drains become a nightmare when it rains as water swells on to the streets, sometimes into houses too,” he adds.
Dug-up roads
Some other voters point fingers towards the dug-up roads, saying that it is a regular affair.
“The roads are being dug up for laying cables, drainage pipelines or some telecom works. But, none thinks about filling those up after the works are done. It makes the life difficult for pedestrians as well as motorists,” Suraj Chataram, a cloth merchant, complains.
He also says that a little has been done to address the issues pertaining to traffic congestion and suggests that it is time the main road from Turner’s Choultry to One Town Police be widened.
Traffic snarl
“Since the mid 1970s, the road has remained the same though the traffic volume has grown manifold. Traffic snarl has become the order of the day on the road dotted with shops. People park their vehicles on the road, leaving a little space for the movement of motorists,” Mr. Chataram explained.
