Traffic problems aplenty for users

Vijayawada: After the city tagged with temporary capital status, temporary traffic troubles started bothering people travelling between NTR Health University and Patamata Lanka and from Gollapudi to Kaleswararao Market. There seems to be no end to traffic jams until and unless Benz Circle and Durga temple flyovers, which are at different stages of construction, completed in the near future.

Highlights:

• There is no full-time deputy commissioner of police to look after city traffic which is resulting in waste of time for many people as traffic jams happen regularly
• Sultry mornings and rainy evenings bother people as they wait in slowly moving traffic at these places

There is no full-time deputy commissioner of police to look after city traffic which is resulting in waste of time for many people as traffic jams happen regularly limiting vehicle movement to 5 km per hour. Sultry mornings and rainy evenings bother people as they wait in slowly moving traffic at these places.

The traffic police often appear in a hopeless situation as vehicular movement from NTR Varsity to Benz Circle comes to a halt as autos and other light vehicles overtake heavy vehicles and cause chaos. This happens frequently every morning and evening as vehicles coming from No 5 route have to take diversion at Ramesh Hospital Junction either towards Gurunanak Colony or Benz Circle. Vehicles going towards No. 5 route, Gurunanak Colony, along with those travel between Benz Circle and NTR Varsity, have to stop until traffic on Gurunanak Colony Road and No 5 route was cleared.

The similar traffic problem arises at Sai Baba temple Road and Nirmala Convent Road which meets the Kolkata-Chennai highway. At Benz Circle, another trouble awaits for travellers going towards Patamata Lanka, Krishnalanka and Labbipet. It was a horrible wait for students who wait in large numbers at Benz Circle bus stop opposite Patamata Lanka Road. “It is horrible to travel in packed buses,” said Sk Taj, an Intermediate student.

A similar traffic problem has been haunting people travelling between Gollapudi and Kaleswara Rao Market. The officials have no idea on the date of completion of Durga temple flyover construction.

The traffic officials diverted traffic from Ibrahimpatnam side towards bypass road at Gollapudi Mile Rayi Centre to pass on via Sitara Convention Centre, Kabela, Milk Project, Chittinagar, Wynchpet Panja to reach Kaleswararao Market. In opposite direction, the traffic passes through Head Post Office, Panja, Fish Market, KBN College, Chittinagar tunnel, Sitara Centre, Church, Swati Centre to reach Gollapudi.

Though autos are not allowed towards Chittinagar through tunnel, they violate rules and cause troubles to smooth movement of traffic. The traffic staff have been failing to control autos and allowing the traffic jams to occur frequently and daily. At Chittinagar and Kabela, traffic jams are a routine affair.

At Kabela, trucks take a diversion towards Urmila Nagar and cause hurdles to city traffic. On Chanumolu flyover, autos from Jakkampudi are another trouble-maker for traffic. At Chittinagar Junction, some vehicles take a diversion towards Kedareswarapet.

Vehicles from Kedareswarapet move in three directions causing traffic trouble. KT Road between Chittinagar and Samarangam Chowk have many main streets from where vehicles enter KT Road and cause hurdles for the traffic. “It takes one hour in peak hours to travel between Bhavanipuram and Kaleswara Rao Market,” said K Sundar, an employee in Vastralata.

By Noor Shaik