Tension as 85 huts removed for road widening

Kakinada: Tension prevailed in Kakinada as the Kakinada Municipal Corporation (KMC) authorities removed 85 huts from government land to speed up the proposed road widening project. The incident took place at RTO office road on Friday morning.

Heavy police have been deployed to prevent any untoward incidents while removing the huts. The authorities started removing huts with the help of JCBs in the presence of KMC Commissioner K Ramesh Babu, Additional Commissioner Ch Naga Narasimha Rao, DSP V Bheema Rao and Urban MRO Y Satish.

Meanwhile, Jana Sena Party political affairs committee (PAC) member Pantam Nanaji and party activists and leaders rushed to the spot and tried to prevent the removal of huts. Nanaji questioned the authorities as to how they can remove the huts without providing alternative accommodation to the people living in the huts. He alleged that the officials were making them homeless overnight.

Heated argument erupted between police and JSP leaders and tension prevailed for some time over the issue of removal of the huts. As a preventive measure, police took JSP leaders and activists into custody. They were shifted to Sarpavaram police station and later released.

KMC Commissioner Ramesh Babu stated that the huts have been built illegally and their removal has become compelling for road widening. He said several years ago, they have illegally occupied the government land and as per norms of the KMC, they were served with notices for evacuation. The Commissioner said the displaced families near the RTO office have been provided with house sites at Panduru village in Kakinada rural. On humanitarian grounds, the KMC officials took their belongings and left them in the allotted sites of Pandur village. People living in rented areas have been given the option of taking their luggage which they desired.