Challapalli Bungalow turns accident zone

Challapalli Bungalow, which is in the heart of the city connecting Railway Station, Pandit Nehru Bus Stand, Eluru Road, Bandar Road and K Market, has become a hazardous junction due to increasing traffic day-by-day. Moreover, two bus stops located at the junction are adding confusion to the commuters.

Bus passengers particularly the elderly and children are panicked while waiting for the buses due to the rush of vehicles. Due to narrow curves and increasing traffic, the commuters as well as bus passengers are facing risk of accidents at the junction. Besides, traffic police are not posted regularly to regulate the vehicles at the junction.

The APSRTC buses travelling from MG Road towards the Railway station and Ajit Singh Nagar pass via the junction. These buses take a dangerous turn from Swarna palace hotel towards the bus stop in front of the Rural MRO office. Similarly, buses coming from Nuzvid to Vijayawada Pandit Nehru Bus Station also pass via Challapalli bungalow junction. The speeding buses move rashly towards the Eluru road creating panic among the motorists, pedestrians and other commuters.

The statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was arranged by the then Congress government 15 years ago. But, the traffic junction has been grossly neglected by the VMC. Traffic signals arranged at the junction fail to work many months in a year. In addition, the junction has not been redesigned for free flow of traffic and preventing accidents.

The Chief Minister’s convoy passes via Challapalli bungalow on many occasions in a week as it is located between the camp office and his residence at Undavalli. Consequently, the police block the traffic on Elur Road till the convoy passes via the junction. This also creates further chaos.

A jeep driver, Ranga Rao of Revenue Department said that auto drivers park their vehicle in front of the Tahsildar office gate. “Bus passengers travelling towards rural areas of Nunna and Nuzvid are facing many problems at the Challapalli bungalow due to these parked vehicles,” he said. V Nagaraju of K Tadepalli said the traffic police must regulate traffic in the peak hours. He said many accidents take place if the police fails to regulate the traffic and traffic signals go out of order.