JNNURM housing complex not a comfortable abode for many
VIJAYAWADA: Lack of proper sanitation has taken the sheen off JNNURM Housing Complex at Vambay Colony. A couple of decades ago, the locality had hardly any activity as it was considered to be a suburb. Now, it is much sought-after destination for lower middle class families who have been evicted from various places as part of development activity in the city. Better connectivity and affordable rents are some of the factors that drew the attention of several families who made it their home.
A walk down the lanes in the colony will however reveal that there is more to it than meets the eye. Most of the residents here crib about poor sanitation. Some of the lanes reek of foul smell due to poor drainage system. “The situation becomes worse in the rainy season as the arterial roads in the colony get flooded with drain water causing much inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists,” says M Gangadhara Rao, a retired RTC employee.
“Despite several complaints, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation has failed to take measures to improve amenities. A few of the streets appear to be a real eyesore. With inadequate dustbins in the colony, most lanes are lined with heaps of garbage. The situation is all the more pathetic when it rains,” says A Surya Kumari, a shopkeeper.
Housing Complex at Vambay Colony in
Vijayawada highlight the civic problems of residents
| Rvk
She also complains that the area is poorly lit as most streetlights are defunct. “As a result, incidents of theft are on the rise. Irregular police patrolling is giving way to rise in crimes,” she laments.Uneven road stretches is another problem. Roads were dug for laying pipelines in the past. During restoration works, care was not taken to level the road surface evenly. “A long raised path passes through the midst of the road creating a problem to vehicle riders,” says S Murali Krishna, a resident. Facilities like vegetable market, playground and park are unheard of here. Children go to a playground in an adjacent locality, he says.
When contacted, the VMC officials admitted that sanitation in the colony was poor due to inadequate number of dumper bins. In this regard, the Municipal Commissioner has directed the sanitation staff to visit the colony at regular intervals for removal of garbage. Already, the Under Ground Drainage works have commenced in some parts of the colony. The completion of UGD scheme would improve sanitation in the colony, they said.
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