VIJAYAWADA: Corporators across party lines came down heavily on the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials for the poor maintenance of the city’s drainage system, blaming them for the flooding and health hazards caused by blocked drains and an inefficient underground drainage (UGD) network.
During the VMC council meeting held on Tuesday, corporators from both the ruling and opposition benches united in criticism, holding the engineering wing—particularly the Chief Engineer, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers, Assistant Engineers, and related staff—accountable for years of negligence. Mayor Rayana Bhagya Lakshmi, who chaired the meeting, expressed her discontent with the engineering department, terming it “the worst maintenance and the worst department.”
Ward 43 Corporator Bapati Koti Reddy pointed out that even a short spell of rain leads to severe waterlogging and flooding in suburban areas due to poor upkeep of the drainage network. TDP corporators Nellibandla Balaswamy, Mummineni Prasad, and CPM corporator Boyi Satyababu highlighted that many parts of the city are submerged every rainy season due to the absence of a proper drainage system.
The corporators demanded timely desilting of drains, prompt response to blockages, and regular maintenance. In response, the VMC Chief Engineer stated that desilting work had already been completed in anticipation of the monsoon and assured that comprehensive studies on the drainage and UGD systems were underway to address long-standing issues. Meanwhile, the council meeting witnessed tense moments over a drinking water supply proposal to JAMAC housings (APIIC-IALA). The YSRCP-led council rejected the third proposal, leading to a heated debate with TDP corporators Chennupati Usharani, Mummineni Prasad, and Bulla Vijaya Kumar pressing the Mayor to approve it.
Amid the ruckus, Mayor Bhagya Lakshmi called marshals to remove Usharani and Prasad from the meeting. However, following a brief altercation, they were allowed to stay.
The council meeting also reviewed 156 proposals, including addendums, and addressed nearly 19 questions related to civic issues.