GUNTUR: The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC) has taken up road-widening and double-laning of major roads to ensure better highway connectivity by completing the inner ring road and the main junction roads in Guntur city.
The city, spread over an area of 160 square km, is growing fast, especially after the announcement of the capital region Amaravati in Guntur district. Hence, the city is witnessing rapid growth in population - the present population being 7.3 lakh. The floating population in the city is also on the rise and so is the number of vehicles plying in the city. As a result, the citizens of Guntur city are witnessing regular traffic jams and to ease the traffic situation, the GMC has come up with the proposal of road-widening and lane-doubling.
The citizens of Guntur have sought an action plan to ensure hassle-free movement of traffic. The GMC has identified main roads such as Amaravati Road, Medical Club Road, Gujjanagundla Road, Mudubommla Centre, Chuttugunta Road, Yettu Road, Lalpuram Road, Yetukuru Road, Inner Ring Road, Koritapadu Road, Ponnuru Road, Nandivelugu Road, Palakaluru Road and are further developing those for improved connectivity between inner ring road and outer ring road.
The Chuttugunta, Lalapuram, Gujjanagundla, Amaravati and Medical Club roads are being widened and there would be double-laning of these roads, with street lighting at centre and drains at both the sides. The main roads will have link to all the government offices and provide direct way to the capital city of Amaravati. The Palakaluru Road widening works will continue up to Perecharla, as part of third phase of Mahatma Gandhi Inner Ring Road construction. The Inner Ring Road has emerged as a vital connecting link to Vijayawada, capital city Amaravati from Rayalaseema, Hyderabad and other areas, as people can go directly, bypassing the Guntur city.
The GMC has decided to widen the Nandivelugu road as per the demand of the public. The owners of lands, after negotiating with GMC officials are now ready to provide land required for expansion of the 80 feet road. The owners of the acquired lands said that they would forgo all the land if they were given a 100 feet road and as a result the GMC decided to widen the 80 feet road after procuring land and paying required compensation to the owners.
GMC Commissioner Srikesh B Lathkar said that the GMC was giving top priority to complete all main roads as per schedule to clear the traffic jams in the city. He said that the GMC had already sanctioned `5 crore for lane-doubling and widening of roads with facility of centre lighting and drains on both sides. He said that another `40 crore would be spent by the government to lay roads.