It is clearly evident that lack of coordination between several departments leading to delay in completion of Godavari Pushkaram works set by the government. Only 60 to 65 percent Pushkaram works completed so far. Road and rail communication, traffic regularisation are going to be major task during Pushkarams and completion of bathing ghats and roads leading to these ghats are treated top priority works.
Snail’s pace
The Roads and Buildings department which got major chunk of funds doing works in snail’s pace and out of Rs.1, 372 crore of total expenditure, it is spending Rs.649.70 crore on roads, bathing ghats, culverts, repairs of road-cum-rail bridge, repairs and furnishing, lighting and other works. According to Superintendent Engineer of R & B department, out of 343 works, 59 works had cancelled as no contractor turned up to bid the works below Rs.5 to 10 lakhs and completed 104 works which means 48 percent.
“Madhurapudi Airport to Rajahmundry City major road work, which includes number of culverts, side drains, pipelines and road extensions will be completed by June 20”, he added.
Releasing work orders, getting sand and labour, coordination between Municipal officials and corporators, AP Transco and R & B officials are the main reasons for the delay, say contractors and engineers.
Bathing ghats
Next priority item during Pushkarams is construction of bathing ghats. There are 268 ghats in both East and West Godavari districts. Out of which, 13 were cancelled at preliminary stage.
“Roads works, leading to Kotilingala Ghat, which is declared as longest ghat with 1.2 km and where about 2 lakh people per day are going to take bath, are in primary stage and levelling work just completed. It will take at least another 20 days to complete”, said Naidu, sub-contractor from Dowleswaram who is doing work at the Ghat.
Municipal Corporation of Rajahmundry is already facing severe criticism on laying of internal roads and irregularities on spending funds and local MLA Akula Satyanarayana made a complaint on this issue to the Chief Minister.
