Residents vow to boycott polls until govt lays road in Bhimavaram

Bhimavaram: Residents of 12th ward in Veeravasaram Panchayat in West Godavari district on Tuesday staged a protest and issued an ultimatum to the state government to boycott elections until the officials lay Indira Priyadarsini road. 

They threatened the government to take up fasting from Mahatma Gandhi birth anniversary (October 2), if it failed to take a decision on the same by September-end.

The residents known for taking up innovative protests have so far cooked food on road apart from taking a rally blindfolded. 

The residents started agitation over the issue since 2014 elections. Since then, they have been using every opportunity to highlight the problem. 

They raised the issue at programmes like Prajala Vaddaku Palana, Janmabhoomi, Intintiki Telugu Desam and Meekosam. 

They met local MLA P Ramanjaneyulu and requested him to take up the road construction. 

Surprisingly, roads with an estimated cost of Rs 1.2 crore were taken up all these years in panchayat limits.

Recently a resident conveyed the problem to the District Collector through Dial Your Collector programme. 

Subsequently officials surveyed the road and took up removal of encroachments.

Going by the unusual delays, the vexed residents resolved not to vote until the completion of the road construction.