RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: Several rounds of review meetings have been held to prepare for the forthcoming Godavari Pushkarams, with the Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development P Narayana and the District Collector regularly monitoring the arrangements. However, a major safety concern continues to be ignored: the heavily encroached underpass near the Rajamahendravaram Municipal Corporation office and Godavari Railway Station.
Barely a few metres from key government offices, the underpass stands as a stark example of administrative apathy. For more than three decades, authorities have failed to clear rampant encroachments at this strategically crucial junction, despite its importance for traffic movement, crowd dispersal, and public safety.
The underpass serves as a vital link connecting Fort Gate, Kotagummam, the historic Pushkara Ghat, the railway station area, and the Gokavaram bus stand is one of the city’s busiest transport hubs. However, nearly 200 illegal garment and retail shops have mushroomed beneath the bridge, completely choking the passage. Iron girders and makeshift structures erected by encroachers have blocked the road, rendering it unusable for vehicles and turning it into a permanent traffic bottleneck.
The situation worsens after nightfall. Poor lighting and unchecked illegal activity have reportedly turned the underpass into a hub of anti-social elements.
There are serious allegations that rowdy sheeters are extorting money from shopkeepers, creating an tmosphere of fear and lawlessness.
City Planner GVSN Murthy told TNIE that the encroachments at the underpass had been identified and an action plan had been prepared to remove them. “We are fully aware of the sensitivity and importance of this underpass. It is a critical location,” he said.
Murthy stated that the encroachments would be cleared in a phased manner in accordance with the plan, and alternative locations would be identified to relocate the affected shopkeepers. “This stretch is a major bottleneck in the city, especially during peak crowd movement. Decongestion of traffic at this point is crucial during the Pushkarams,” he explained.