Smart City status fails to improve amenities in Kakinada

Kakinada: Kakinada, designated a smart city by the Central government in 2016 is still grappling with numerous issues.

Local leaders and residents expressed anger claiming that for the past five years their concerns have been ignored. The urged newly elected MLA Vanamadi Kondababu and the newly appointed Municipal Commissioner Bhavana Vasishta to address the issues.

Residents are particularly upset about the misuse of funds intended for city improvements. They argue that a Smart City Command and Communication Centre, built at a cost of around Rs 100 crore have been inactive for the past three years.

This centre, which includes 350 CCTV cameras and other technology was meant to reduce crime but has not been fully operational, leading to an increase in crimes such as chain snatching. In addition, the city has seen a rise in ganja use, partly due to non-functional CCTV cameras.

Drinking water shortage is another major concern. A key water tank in the Bal Bhavan at Gandhinagar was constructed over a decade ago and remains unused.

The city relies on only 15 outsourced workers in each division for sanitation, while the number of sanitary inspectors is below the required level.

The city currently operates just 15 garbage trucks, with a need for 30 more to effectively manage waste.

Budget constraints have left the corporation struggling to afford necessary sanitation tools, leading to begging for corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds from local industries.

BJP leaders have criticised the corporation for what they describe as a financial crisis, suggesting that funds have been mismanaged. The BJP leader including city convenor Gatti Satyanarayana and media panalist Duvvuri Subrahmanyam submitted a petition to Commissioner Bhavana Vasishta, urging her to take immediate action to address Kakinada’s problems.