Vijayawada: Kandrika residents worry about stormwater problem

Vijayawada: The residents of Kandrika colony, a remote one, are troubled by poor drainage system, mosquito menace, rainwater entering houses and other issues for over two decades. The colony is located in 64th division, the last one of Vijayawada.

The colony residents face innumerable hardships during rainy season. As most of the houses are below the road level, rainwater enters houses, making the people to spent sleepless nights. It takes five to seven hours to drain the rainwater from the houses and in between valuable items like furniture and other household articles would be damaged after soaking in the rainwater.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) has constructed CC roads in the colony for the convenience of the residents. But relaying of the roads has increased its level, due to which the height of the houses became lower that that of the road. This led to rainwater entering the houses.

On the other hand, side drains are filled with garbage and mud resulting in water stagnation. It is the biggest problem in the colony, said V Satyanarayana, a trader and resident of Kandrika colony. He urged the VMC authorities to take up cleaning of side drains regularly to facilitate free flow of domestic water.

At the same time, he said they get adequate drinking water and has good road connectivity to other parts of the city.

Satyanarayana along with colony residents said that the stagnated water is becoming breeding ground for mosquitoes. Besides, stormwater stagnation during rainy season in open lands in the colony due to lack of proper drainage system is becoming perfect place for mosquitos, which is posing threat to the health of the people.

Pigs are another threat to the residents of some areas.

The VMC has developed the colony in a phased manner during the last 20 years. But a proper drainage system is yet to be set up, the residents complained. They demanded the VMC to find a suitable solution at the earliest to solve drainage problem, so that stormwater could be drained out of the colony.

A resident of the colony, C Narasimha Rao, said, "The houses built about 20 years ago are getting old and needs repair. The rooftops of a few houses are in dilapidated condition." Poor people, who cannot afford to construct new houses, continue to live in miserable conditions in the old houses, he said.

Many residents have demolished old houses and constructed new houses with all amenities. Since located very close to Vijayawada-Nuzvid highway, the residents of Kandrika colony have easy access for bus and auto services. The APSRTC has been operating buses to the colony.

The VMC constructed houses and allocated house sites for house construction. Scores of CC roads were laid in the colony and installed Under Ground Drainage system for free flow of drain water.

CPM leader D Vishnu said the colony residents are requesting the VMC to address the long pending drainage problem and to pump out the sewage water.