Panchayats merged with Municipal Corporation of Tirupati lack amenities

Tirupati: Three panchayats − MR Palle, Thimminaidupalem and Jeevakona (Rajiv Nagar) − were merged with the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) five years ago.

Still, they lack basic amenities like no proper drainage and approach roads. Previous civic chiefs Ch Harikiran and Vijaya Rama Raju have only concentrated on pilgrim moving localities like railway station, bus stand, Alipiri Junction and Kapilatheertham.

In Jeevakona locality, poor people are living in 10 slums. Similarly, there are 20 slums in MR Palle and Thimminaidupalem. According to information, 40 per cent of the city population is living on the outskirts of merged panchayats. After merger with the MCT, civic body had constructed only water tanks in these merged panchayats but not roads and drains.

Though the MCT came into existence from 2007, there is no zonal administrative set up. All the residents of pilgrim city have to visit MCT office for any needs. Residents are facing inconvenience while using damaged gravel roads spread over 300 km length. The Central government had allocated Rs 1,680 crore funds as part of smart city project, but the merged panchayats were totally neglected.

A resident of Raghavendra Nagar under the limits of Jeevakona panchayat G Subramanya speaking to The Hans India stated that they have brought their difficulties to previous commissioners notice but of no use. Authorities are spending funds for development of main Tirupati city,he criticised.

"We are requesting new commissioner to sort out long pending civic issues in slums," he added. At least, the new Commissioner PS Girisha has to give the top priority to improve the amenities in merged panchayats, he said.