Are KTR's remarks on AP roads justified?

Telangana Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao's remarks on the state of roads in the neighbouring State during a programme kicked up a controversy with AP Ministers stoutly refuting his observation. The Hans India spoke to people of various districts to secure their views on the issue. A majority have expressed concern over the poor state of roads at different places and wanted the administration to carry out repair works at a quick pace

Due to lack of proper road facility we are forced to walk for about 1.5 km distance from our area to reach main road for picking up autorickshaw or any other vehicle. We have been experiencing this situation for the last 22 years. Some parts of our area come under division-2 represented by city mayor K Suresh Babu. Auto drivers are shying away from our locality fearing damage to their vehicles. Successive governments have done nothing despite several representations.

K Santosh Kumar. Tilak Nagar, Kadapa city

Be it colony roads, approach roads or main roads, all of them are in a bad shape. The ordeal for a commuter cannot be escaped in any route. The journey gets tougher during the rainy season as it's difficult to identify the presence of a pothole. We expected the officials concerned to initiate necessary action at least during summer. But there is no sign of improvement as far as road infrastructure is concerned.

-V Ramakrishna, entrepreneur, Visakhapatnam

Development of roads during the last three years in Chittoor is at snail's pace. By and large, the entire city consisting of 50 divisions is covered with CC roads. The narrow lanes in slum areas are in bad shape. The civic body seems to be very indifferent in undertaking road repairs. I hope that the state government will take the comments of K T Rama Rao in a positive way and prove that AP roads are good.

-S Gangadhar, businessman, Ramnagar Colony, Chittoor

YSRCP government neglected the development of highways and roads in the last two years. Keeping approaching elections in view, the government has taken steps to develop roads to blunt criticism now. GMC has not properly restored the roads dug for laying UGD pipelines in Guntur city. Potholes on the roads are causing accidents. There is need to develop the state highways and internal roads in the urban and rural areas.

Garre Kalyanraj, private employee, Guntur city

A representation has been given to GVMC Commissioner, YSRCP MP V Vijayasai Reddy with regards to road conditions. Currently, the roads are in unsafe condition to commute and immediate action needs to be taken in this regard. Given the traffic flow, priority should be given to the roads that fall under GVMC ambit. If not new roads, at least the authorities should take up repair words on a war footing.

Ch V S N Murthy, NSTL employee, Visakhapatnam

Roads conditions in remote villages in Burja mandal in Amudalavalasa Assembly constituency are not in bad condition posing danger to the bike riders and other vehicle drivers. Roads leading Guttavalli, O V Peta, Kollivalasa, Labham, Lankam and other villages have become worse due to rains during the last monsoons. At that time the then Deputy CM, Dharmana Krishna Das, and Assembly Speaker, Tammineni Sitaram assured to get the roads repaired after end of rainy season but works are yet to start. The poor condition of the roads is testing the patience of people. L Murali Krishna, trader,

Burja, Srikakulam Srikakulam district

The road connecting Ulavapadu, Mannetikota and Kandukur has been in poor condition for years, but the government has no concern for the convenience of people. It has not laid a new road on this route despite several pleas. It is better for the government to plan and complete the new roads in the constituency, before going to the elections, than blaming the opposition parties for its failure in winning the hearts of the public.

- Pandi Dileep Kumar, Kandukur, Nellore district

Very few roads in Nellore city are comfortable for commuters. Most of them have been damaged just three years after laid. The roads were laid in a hurry to complete them before the elections in 2019 and the culprits are contractors. This is the situation in AC Nagar, Balaji Nagar, James Garden, Ramalingapuram, Haranathapuram and many others areas. Steel Factory road in Balaji Nagar is a clear example of negligence of the officials and contractors. A road without a bump is scarce in the entire city where many areas have potholed roads, scraped gravel causing accidents, particularly in the night.

N R K Prasad, tutor, Nellore

Roads were good prior to 2019 as the previous government laid roads as part of making the city a model one. But they were dug for laying pipelines, drainage and other purposes within 1-2 years even though they are concrete ones. Unfortunately, the current government has not even taken up patch works to them. Blame game is going on between the political parties while there is no relief for commuters. TV Gopal Rao,

private accountant, Nellore

Reaching coastal villages in Gara mandal in Srikakulam Assembly constituency by travelling on the badly damaged roads has become a dangerous feat for motorists. For the last several years, no repair works have been done on these roads resulting in big holes on them. BT layers have been completely damaged and metal protruded on these roads. Riding bikes and driving vehicles during night hours has became a test for the driving skills of peoples.

G S Murthy, private employee, Gara, Srikakulam district

The Galaxypuram habitation stands second in the state in paying all taxes. But the residents are deprived of public amenities, including the roads. As the habitation is in the prime area of granite quarrying, the roads are always damaged by the heavy vehicles carrying the stone. I wonder why the engineers fail in estimating the load of the vehicles and design the roads accordingly, as a permanent solution. The road through the Galaxypuram is also the road to the famous shrine, Ramateertham and thousands of devotees visit it on several occasions in a year. The government should consider laying the roads with maximum load capacity as per local conditions and help us see the deity in the temvple only, not on the way.

K Arun Kumar, Chimakurthy, Prakasam district