Journey between Rajahmundry and Seethanagaram is like hell

Rajamahendravaram(East Godavari District): The journey on the 24-km stretch of road from Rajamahendravaram to Seethanagaram is like hell, travellers lamented. About 15 to 20 km of this road is like a muddy canal. Earlier, 12 buses used to ply daily, but now only four to five buses are plying due to the poor condition of the road.

Students from about 20 villages between Thorredu and Seethanagaram regularly travels on this road to go to Rajahmundry for studies. Many employees and businesspersons commute between these two areas.

In February 2021, foundation stone was laid to make this road as a 4-lane road and so far, bills amounting to Rs 11.90 crore were paid. The officials concerned said that the road would be completed in two years but not even an inch was completed till date. But the existing road was dug up in the name of four-lane road development, making it impossible for the people even to walk on the road. Several spots became muddy and vehicles are getting down into the slush.

When asked about this road, R&B Department Deputy Executive Engineer BV Madhusudana Rao said the government had sanctioned Rs 70 crore for constructing four-lane road from Kateru (a suburb of Rajahmundry) to Seethnagaram. Due to rains, work could not be completed on time, he said. But it should be noted here that it has been raining for the last two months.

Locals alleged that works were stopped for months as bills are not paid to the contractor.

Chitturi Raghavrao, a villager of Katavaram, criticised that the government is negligent towards the plight of thousands of travellers. He said buses were also damaged and many accidents are taking place on this potholed and muddy road. There was a situation where JCBs were hired to pull out vehicles stuck in the mud. Auto drivers are charging double price to go on this road.

The R&B officials said that the road would be completed in a year if works are done continuously.

All the roads from Seethanagaram mandal to Rajamahendravaram and district headquarters are in a sad state.

People use Kunavaram - Mirthipadu BT Road as an alternative for some distance, but this route was closed due to Godavari flood as bridge was not constructed near Mirthipadu. Korukonda-Muggalla road is also unusable.

On Raghudevapuram-Kunavaram road, traffic was stalled due to overflowing of the hill canal. On Rapaka-Kotikesavaram road, water of the hill canal is flowing on the road. Without a bridge on Cheepurapalli-Seethanagaram road, water got stagnated and traffic came to a standstill.

Now, people are forced to travel around many villages to reach Rajahmundry from Seethanagaram. They go to Cheepurupalli via Pedakondepudi and from there to Korukonda via Nagampalli, Kotikesavaram, Raghavapuram, and reach Rajamahendravaram, which increases the distance by 18 km. If water level of Godavari rises at Bobbillanka Bridge after rains, this road also will be closed.