Hyderabad: Shoddy road repairs main grumble here in Viveknagar Division of Chikkadapally

Residents of Viveknagar of Chikkadapally feel they have only a few problems to complain against the GHMC and the State government.

According to Ravichandra, there is no problem with drinking water and power supply and other basic amenities in the area. There is a lot of improvement on these fronts.

Roads in lanes and by-lanes from Hotel Sudha to Tyagaraja Gana Sabha were laid about 10 years ago "just before elections when the then Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy had visited the area for electioneering." The roads were mostly of cement; they were in good condition. But the problem started when they were dug for laying drinking water connections to new apartments and houses constructed in the last 10 years.

Substandard repair works on levelling the roads cut for laying drinking water pipelines have proven nightmares for people; particularly, during night for elderly, children, women and two-wheeler raiders. Even when there is light rainwater, the roads gets logged for about two feet on several streets in the area.

However, along the stretch from entry into Tyagraja Gana Sabha via the City Central Library, Postal Staff Quarters and the adjacent areas, CC roads were laid after the construction of a drain. So, the road is good, said Srinivas, who runs a coconut shop. Local corporator and Musheerabad MLA had promised to improve roads in the area during the last GHMC elections.

P Madhusudhan opined that immediate attention should be paid to laying new roads to replace those damaged. "Ensure that existing roads are not cut indiscriminately by the civic staff, water works, telephone department and others.

Our experience is that it takes decades for laying roads. But, once they are laid, the corporator and the civic body should ensure that good roads are not damaged." He also insisted on regular supervision on replacing damaged streetlights in the area and lifting of garbage by the sanitation staff. Particularly, the residents face problems to move in the area at night. "It is more troublesome during rainy season".