Cyclones Nivar, Burevi cause extensive damage to Nellore roads

Nellore: Cyclone Nivar and tropical storm Burevi ravaged the city roads. Potholes are formed even on main roads and the commuters in the city are facing severe problems.

Some portion of the mini bypass road was also damaged due to water-logging and improper laying of the earlier road. Some major flyovers and Penna bridges on the bypass road also developed potholes causing severe inconvenience to commuters.

In fact, the potholes were formed due to poor quality of construction and the majority of roads have potholes.

However, after partial completion of the UGD works, concrete layers vanished within two months of their construction even though reputed engineering companies were engaged in laying the roads in the city.

Urgent repairs were taken up after the YSRCP came to power and the situation improved to some extent. However, the recent heavy rains damaged the roads yet again. Road users are facing severe problems due to the bad roads.

Now, the government proposed a flyover at Ramalingapuram junction and the people are facing difficulties with traffic jams. Mini bypass road that connects Atmakur Bus Stand and Ayyappa temple centre is witnessing bumps and deep potholes. The road is also in a bad shape between Ramalingapuram Junction and Kondayapalem gate junction.

"Bike riders and drivers of auto-rickshaws have been facing problems on Penna bridge. Potholes were formed on the flyover at Venkateswara Puram due to heavy rains and the movement of heavy trucks that carry massive loads. They have to cross the flyover to enter the Mumbai National Highway," points out K Venkata Rao who regularly travels between Kovur and Nellore to attend his work.

Many internal roads in the city are not in a better condition either. Many streets are waterlogged and the first layer of the road disappeared at many places and now gravel is clearly seen. The main road between Kondayapalem Railway Gate and Kondayapalem junction is in a bad shape and even two-wheelers cannot move. In case of heavy rain, commuters fail to identify the location of potholes and are meeting with accidents.

Further, the road between Vijaya Mahal Gate and VRC Centre close to the railway track is now a diversion road which is giving horrendous experience to the commuters up to petrol bunk close to the VR College.

The important road between the Collectorate and Madras Bus Stand was also damaged extensively due to heavy rains.