VISAKHAPATNAM: After the one-way traffic plan of the authorities fell flat owing to vehement opposition from the citizens, the proposal of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) pertaining to extension of roads in One Town area has drawn flak from several quarters.
A day after the GVMC made the proposal public, the residents and shopkeepers on Wednesday expressed their reservations against the move. The plan is a threat to the livelihood of many, they said.
The stretch from Jagadamba junction to Queen Victoria statue has over 1,500 shops which would be demolished to make way for the works.
The stretch houses a number of garment, jewellery and wholesale shops and many houses. Hundreds of people run small shops and depend on their daily wages. There are many shops which people have been patronising for ages.
In fact, the stretch houses the city’s old jewellery market with 250 shops in line. The market has huge daily turnover. Now, the proposed road extension works have been tormentig the shopkeepers and residents. The works are claimed to be for development of the zone.
“We have been staging protests against the road widening for a year now. Last year, we staged massive protests and requested local MLA Vasupalli Ganesh Kumar not to allow its implementation. But the same issue has raked up again and we are worried,” said Akula Narasimha Rao, a garment shop owner in the One Town.
No clarity on Alternate Arrangement
The authorities are planning to give land for relocating the exisitng shops near Meghalaya, TSR Complex and some other government lands in the city. But, the traders are worried that once the shops are relocated they would lose their loyal customers. The customers will go to modern jewellery marts. “There is no clarity on the alternative arrangements and moreover we do not want to lose our loyal customers. There was good business during this year’s Ugadi festival. Though there are many malls and big shops, people flocked to our shops. This is because of the loyalty and faith that they repose in us,” added Anand, a general stores owner near Burujupeta area. Meanwhile, GVMC commissioner Pravin kumar said that a meeting with all stakeholders would be convened very soon. He said that this was a massive project and only after taking the locals into confidence, the GVMC would proceed further, he added.