NH 165 turns perilous to road users

Akiveedu: Travelling on Prattipadu-Pamarru national highway No 165 has become unsafe. The road is fatal to the commuters between Akiveedu and Undi villages. It is the most dangerous accident-prone area in Bhimavaram-Gudiwada route.

The Akiveedu-Undi road which passes on the Godavari branch canal bund was always damaged due to the movement of heavy vehicles.

As these heavy vehicles have no alternative route to pass to the district, all choose this national highway to reach their destinations.
Even though this is a national highway, there are no such limitations to the road. It has a road only 18 feet of width on one side and on the other side is a canal. The road margin on the canal side is badly damaged and pits on the road.

The aqua processing factories export products, mainly through the fish laden lorries, to other states and uses this national highway to reach the destination. A fish-laden lorry overturned on Sunday morning at Cherukuwada village causing a traffic jam on the road. Even it was a national highway, the officials have forgotten the construction of culverts to the irrigation channels which crosses the road.

Two bike riders were killed in a fatal road accident 10 days ago on the road. A speedy bus collided with their bike head-on resulting in their deaths. Several accidents have also taken place on this road and several people suffered severe injuries.

Even then no action was initiated to take necessary steps either to repair the roads or formation of a new road by the officials concerned. The police even tried to control the accident rate on this road. The bad condition of the road did not permit them to take preventive steps.

When asked, Akiveedu SI Sudhakar Reddy said the police department had taken up steps to control the speed of the vehicles. He stated that radium lining drums have been arranged on the road to control the speed of the vehicles.