Visakhapatnam: Host of problems haunt residents for decades

Visakhapatnam: There is a bus stop in the neighbourhood where buses will not halt. Though there is a homoeopathy hospital, there is no clue when the dilapidated building will crumble down like a pack of cards. Even when people own a house here, they cannot dispose of it as and when they require as it is tangled in 'Simhachalam Panchagramalu' land issue. This is the situation of several residents who reside at Krishna Nagar near Naidu Thota. Residents here complain of different issues that remain unresolved for decades.

Though the colony roads, drains plus sanitation maintenance are in a better state, long-pending issues haunt the people living in the locality. The 70-year-old colony is where close to 400 families reside.

As the colony falls under the ambit of 'Simhachalam Panchagramalu', people could not sell their property or invest in the new one either. In 2008, a bus stop was facilitated in the locality as a part of the BRTS road. It comes along with a bus shelter. A foot-over-bridge was also set up to help the pedestrians cross the lane with ease.

Despite the facilities made available, the residents have to trek nearly half-a-km to either reach Naidu Thota or Gopalapatnam petrol bunk to board a RTC bus. "This apart, the homoeopathy hospital that exists in the colony cries for attention as the building is in a very bad shape. The facility that was established in 1985 is where about 150 patients visit on a daily basis.

There is a need to revamp the building before it becomes too late," opines Yerra Nagaraju, a resident and organiser of Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Sahita Ayyappa Swamy temple. The temple is a meeting spot for the colony people to meet at frequent intervals and organise events. The next in the pipeline is the temple anniversary which will be celebrated in a grand manner.

Sharing the colony's problems, Nagisetti Srinu, another resident, says, "Though the neighbourhood has a burial ground, it does not have any basic facilities. Authorities concerned should step in to convert it into an electric crematorium with all amenities."

Krishna Nagar is spread over survey No:138, 116 and 119. Earlier, restrictions were imposed on completing the property registrations only in survey No: 116 and 119. But recently, the list also included survey No:138. With this, the residents here are facing problems in registering or selling their own properties.

Residents appeal to the officials concerned to resolve the bus stop issue and revamp the homoe-hospital giving top priority to them.