Protest over slow progress of storm water drain works

Vijayawada: Residents of 54 and 55 divisions at Ajit Singh Nagar area staged a dharna at Krishna Hotel Centre on Saturday staged a protest against the slow progress of the storm water side drain works.

The residents are alleging that they had been facing many problems due to stagnation of rain water. CPM CRDA Region Coordination Committee convener Ch Baburao said that neither the L&T Company nor the VMC is taking measures for speedy completion of works.

He said hundreds of families and traders are suffering due to removal of steps in front of their homes for constructing the side drains. He said rain water is getting stagnated and turning into a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

He said children and staff studying in nearby schools are also suffering due to traffic problems caused by slow progress of the side drain works.

The L&T had taken up the storm water side drains construction work nearly six months ago across the city. Ajit Singh Nagar is located in low lying area without proper drainage facility as well as UGD network.

In this backdrop, the water logging became big problem to the thousands of residents, said Ch Srinivasa Rao, local CPM leader. He said children are falling into the unfinished side drains during the rainy season, he added.

Moreover, 48 route buses ply on Krishna Hotel Centre Road at Ajit Singh Nagar. Sometimes, the construction workers are halting the buses to continue the works.

This irks the RTC drivers and passengers also, who are expressing their displeasure over halting of works. The L&T officials, who are supervising the works, assured the residents that the drain works would be completed in 20 days.