Nellore: NHAI yet to prepare plan to curb recurrence of floods

Nellore: The present rain fury is resembling the pathetic condition of floods occurred in 2015 where three breaches occurred on the National Highway-16 between Nellore and Gudur. The huge damage was occurred at Manubole, thanks to both State and Central government for the lackadaisical attitude in resolving the major public discomfort that has been still under strategic plans of NHAI for preparing a design for constructing the road. Freshly, a breach occurred at Kovur in the midnight on Saturday which resulted in chaotic traffic on the busiest Kolkata-Chennai National Highway. Consequently, thousands of vehicles were stranded on the highway between Nellore and Vijayawada.

Finally, with active involvement of police and revenue officials, the breach has been closed and restored one-way traffic for the road commuters. Further, rail connectivity was also disturbed due to floodwaters on the track at Padugupadu and the trains have been cancelled or diverted. In fact, a breach was developed last year when huge volume of gushing waters from Somasila Project hit the road bridge on the NH at Padugupadu and it received damaged and the officials got repaired.

Since then, there has been no focus on the site. Now, another breach developed paralysing the entire traffic movement for some time. After Chennai, Kouvurians are now relying on boats and other floating equipment to reach their places safely. The worst situation existed in the mandal headquarters for the first time in the recent past in a while floodwater reached the main town.

Unmanaged Gangavaram-Kovur tank also worsened the situation with two breaches. Officials are releasing 1.73 lakh cusecs of water from Somasila reservoir on Sunday against the inflows of 1.78 lakh cusecs of water from upper catchment areas. "The flood fury in Kovur town is happened for the first time where 50 per cent of the town submerged in floodwaters. Many villages are being marooned with rainwater and the situation not improved even after 36 hours. People are facing difficult situation with lack of drinking water, power, milk and other essentials. Officials have to take measures on war footing for bailing out people from problems," said Ch Venkateswara Reddy, General Secretary of TDP Nellore Parliament Segment.

Further, a priest from Kodavaluru Shiva temple, who was riding a two-wheeler on the NH at Venkateswara Puram, washed away in floodwaters and Traffic CI Nayak saved him using ropes and other material giving a respite. Majority mobile phone towers are running with generators due to lack of power and the connectivity also has become a major hurdle for local population.