VIJAYAWADA: Several ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) corporators expressed their dissatisfaction over the slow progress of Storm Water Drain (SWD) project in the city on Thursday.
During the question hour in the council, CPM corporator Gade Adilakshmi raised the issue and demanded the public health department officials to provide the status of SWD works in the city. Meanwhile, TDP corporator Muppa Venkateswara Rao said that due to inordinate delay in execution of the project, several people are facing a harrowing time as they lost accessibility with the roads from their houses. Many residents complained over damage of their four wheelers while crossing the culverts constructed by the contracting agency, he said.
Rao also opined that there is no need for the civic body to continue with the contactor. As the agency failed to expedite the works, the VMC should entrust the works to VMC contractors for speedy completion of the project, he opined.
"The contracting agency is executing the works at a slow pace. The VMC officials have the responsibility to follow up the status of works at regular intervals to avoid inconvenience to the residents," YSRC floor leader B Punyaseela said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Koneru Sreedhar said that civic body had asked the contracting agency to take up the SWD works initially in ten divisions of the city. However, the firm had started works in 26 divisions at a time which was the major reason for the delay of the works. Even after 14 months, the works were not completed even in a single division, he said.
As on date, the firm developed SWD in 118 km against the target of 480 km, he said and sought the firm to speed up the works before monsoon by recruiting enough number of staff.
Municipal Commissioner J Nivas said that regular meetings are being convened with the public health department officials and the contracting agency.
Instructions were given to them to focus on constructing the culverts on Eluru Road, Nizam Gate and One Town areas where sewage will be flowed on the roads during the rainy season, he added.
VMC to take up projects on its land
After facing severe criticism from the opposition YSRCP corporators over privatisation of VMC lands, Mayor Koneru Sridhar on Thursday clarified that corporation itself will execute the project in the lands after availing bank loans. The VMC has decided to construct commercial complexes at Brundavan Colony, Hanumanpet and Kabela to augment revenue for the corporation. A three star hotel will be also constructed at the existing municipal guest house place by availing bank loans. Leading banks have approached the VMC to provide loans at an interest rate of 8.5 per cent to realise the projects, he said.