Vijayawada: Residents live in fear of rockslide in rainy season

Vijayawada: Everything is ok except the constant threat of falling rocks and boulders gives creeps to the residents of Mallikarjunapeta, located on Indrakeeladri hillock.

Mallikarjunapeta is located in 52nd division and one of the densely populated areas with narrow lanes and small houses built during the last seven decades. Since it is located very near to the commercial area of Samarangam Chowk and Sri Kanaka Durga temple, a large number of people settled on the hillock and

construction activity continued many decades.

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is able to supply drinking water to the residents with the help of boosters. Cement roads were laid and steps were built to reach the hillock. Due to hillock area, it is difficult to lay underground drainage (UGD) in the colony.

During rainy season water flows from the hillock to down on both the sides of the narrow lanes. The biggest problem the residents are facing is boulders and heavy rocks as they are afraid that these rocks and boulders may crash on their houses at any time during rainy season.

The VMC is constructing retaining walls in some areas to protect the people from the rocks and boulders.

Due to unavoidable conditions, many poor people are living on the hillock. House rents are less on the hillock compared to other areas and this is one of the reasons for people to choose Mallikarjunapeta to live.

Large number of people have constructed houses and later amenities like roads, streetlights, drinking water facility was provided during the last few decades.

Maintaining hygiene is not an easy task on the hill area. Many residents throw garbage in the open area causing problems to other residents.

Pyla Sudhir, a resident of Mallikarjunapeta, said that it is difficult to maintain good cleanliness on the hillock because the VMC vehicles can't reach this area due to narrow lanes and roads.

Another problem the residents face is vehicle parking. They park their vehicles near the hills and there is no security to two wheelers. Despite having financial capacity, many people avoid buying cars due to lack of approach road and parking facility. Traders, workers and employees have settled in Mallikarjunapeta.

The colony residents mainly depend on Brahmin street, which is the connecting street to Mallikarjunapeta and Samarangam Chowk. Brahmin street is very busy with of thousands of vehicles passing every day. Large number of devotees visiting Sri Kanaka Durga Malleswara Swamy varla temple pass through the Brahmin street and Canal road.