VIJAYAWADA: Vijayawada may have made it to the top 10 list of India’s most liveable cities, but some of its residents feel otherwise, thanks to the silt-filled overflowing side drains near Siddhartha Nagar of Moghalrajpuram and the pungent smell it emanates. Not just to those living in the area, but even the passersby and motorists are subjected to face this troublesome situation.
Drains in the area have been blocked and overflowing for a long time.Even though the residents have complained about the issue to the municipal officials on numerous occasions, their grievances have gone in vain. In their opinion, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) is least bothered with the situation.
Moghalrajpuram connects some of the prime locations of the city and Siddhartha College along with other educational institutions.
V Kishore, a resident of Siddhartha Nagar, says: “Pungent smell due to choked drains is a problem here. This situation is persisting for the past three months. Though it is a busy area with colleges, food courts and key commercial establishments, the scenario has not improved. Many of us are scared to send our children out alone fearing they may fall in the drains as, sometimes, it is difficult to even spot them.”
In recent times, some accidents have also taken place in the area during night time. Not only the accidents, but people living here are worried about spread of viral fevers.
“The roads are in a pathetic condition. On top of it, silt-filled overflowing drains have made them slippery which causes accidents. The officials should pay attention to this issue immediately and resolve them immediately,” T Srinivas, who regularly commutes through the area, says.