State govt, VMC neglect Madhuranagar’s development: CPM

PNS|Vijayawada

CPM State secretariat member Ch Babu Rao has alleged that the State government and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation are neglecting development and are imposing burdens on people in the name of taxes and installing meters for water taps. “Besides, the Railway under-bridge (RUB) works have been stopped due to various reasons, which is creating traffic chaos at Madhuranagar,” he said.

On Tuesday, Babu Rao staged a padayatra in Indira Nagar. He conducted door-to-door visits and interacted with the people. During the padayatra, the people expressed their unhappiness over the negligent attitude of the State government as well as VMC.

Speaking on the occasion, Babu Rao said that the people of Madhuranagar were not satisfied and were ready to organise an agitation. “The Madhuranagar RUB works were stopped three years ago and at the time of the bridge works, the contracting agency was not provided with an alternative route,” he alleged. So, lakhs of people are facing trouble in crossing the Vijayawada–Visakhapatnam railway line. If a train comes, it will take about half an hour to cross the gate, he added.

Babu Rao further said that due to the unfinished RUB, ambulance services to Madhuranagar were almost stopped. “Even auto drivers are refusing to come to the area. Works on roads and underground drainages (UGD) are neglected. For these reasons, the residents of Madhuranagar are leaving the town. ‘To let’ signs are seen on many houses,” he said.

“Earlier, the Andhra Bank branch was shifted from here causing much trouble to the customers. Subsequently, the VMC sped up the installation of meters for water taps. The people are hesitant to drink the water from those taps,” he said.

The CPM leader criticised that the State government was spending Rs.100 crore for installing meters for drinking water taps, but not a single paisa was released to restore the stopped RUB works. “However, the ruling YSRCP is claiming that the government is giving top priority to the development of Vijayawada, which is not seen in practice,” he added.