mong the first images of cyclone Hudhud everyone would recall are the trees that were felled by the unprecedented winds, the likes of which nobody had seen before.
The uprooted trees made everything difficult – from moving on the roads to restoring power and water supply and taking up the repair works. In relief operations coordinated by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu himself, over 400 earth-moving machines drawn from all over the State were deployed.
Apart from the workers of the Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation, over 1,000 workers were pressed into service to clear the trees.
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Besides, water pipelines were damaged and motors got burnt requiring immediate repairs and use of generators.
The manpower had to be supported by providing fuel to the machines and food to the workers.
The Hudhud-related restoration work cost the GVMC Rs.50 crore.
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As the first anniversary of Hudhud is approaching, the amount so far released to GVMC was a mere Rs.7.3 crore.
Even as the reimbursement is awaited, the corporation is spending, dipping into its funds, to spruce up the city for the prestigious International Fleet Review at an estimated cost of Rs.50 crore.
Heavily damaged roads in the are being restored at a cost of Rs.25 crore.
Gearing up
The Beach Road, the venue for the IFR, is being beautified.
On restoring footpaths and beautification of other arterial junctions another Rs.10 crore will be spent and on horticulture and improving greenery Rs.12 crore is to be spent.
Sources say the GVMC would have prioritised and taken up these works in phases in regular course.
But with IFR scheduled for February and several VVIPS expected to arrive their completion has become imperative.
Though the State Government gave administrative sanction for Rs.56 crore for sprucing up the city for IFR, it remains to be seen whether the amount would be released.
As the first anniversary of Hudhud is approaching, the amount so far released to
GVMC is meagre