Heavy rains expose underbelly of Kakinada Smart City

Kakinada: The beauty and charm of Kakinada is slowly waning due to the apathy of the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities by not attending to repairs and maintaining the roads.

Once the city was hailed as second Madras, but now that glory is fading into history.

Kakinada Smart City roads are losing charm within a short span of three years due to the unplanned spending of taxpayers' money. Tar top layers of roads are worn out and gravel is floating on roads at many places. Potholes are a common sight.

Despite huge funds received for the development of Kakinada as Smart City, the roads are still dirty and ill-maintained amid heavy rains.

Due to the rains, many areas like Dummulpet, Mootha Nagar, Jagannaickpur, Pratap Nagar, Sambamurthy Nagar, 100 building centre were inundated with rain and drainage water.

The condition of roads and drains in Kakinada is in such a pathetic state that even a small rain makes sewage water overflow on roads.

Pedestrians and vehicle users are facing a hard time due to the overflowing drains. To worsen the condition, several private companies dig up streets frequently to lay cables and they don't fill up trenches properly, leading to accidents.

BJP senior leader Chitneedi Srinivas said that funds released by the Central government for the development of the Smart cities, particularly Kakinada, have been misused and an inquiry should be made.

He alleged that the funds have been embezzled both by the TDP and YSRCP governments. He demanded that the Central government institute an inquiry into the misuse of funds and provide a white paper with regard to the quantum of assistance provided and the funds used for which purposes.

Kakinada Poura Samkshema Sangham convenor Dusarlapudi Ramana Raju said that there is no systematic planning with regard to the laying of roads. Particularly, Recharlapeta and Ramakrishna Raopeta are fully inundated with rainwater.

He said that people are facing a lot of difficulties owing to mixing of rainwater with drainage water. He said that owing to closure of railway drain in Recharlpeta, residents of Ramakrishna Raopeta are experiencing untold misery and difficulties due to the mixing of rainwater and drainage water.

He said that recent rains have caused havoc particularly at the main road, cinema road and other areas in the Smart City.

He pointed out that by restoring the railway drain is a permanent solution.

Psychologist APJ Vinu said that the road from Saskianth Nagar through RTO office to Dairy farm has an underground main water pipe line. Several times the road was dug to repair the breach in the water pipeline. Now again this road is having two breaches at RCM Church junction and Master Baker junction towards Dairy farm centre.

This pipeline is damaged every now and then and this work is done by digging roads and leaving it off for days. On the other hand, Kakinada Municipal Corporation Assistant Commissioner Ch Naga Narasimha Rao said that they would take necessary steps for repairing the roads and beautifying the smart city.