Post Montha, potholes and bad roads surface in Visakhapatnam

Following the heavy rains caused under the influence of Cyclone Montha, several stretches of roads across the city have been left battered, causing severe inconvenience to the commuters. The road users are now being greeted with number of potholes, loose gravel, and uneven surfaces in many parts of the city under the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC).

Not only the inner roads but even key stretches of the NH-16 have taken a beating. From Isukathota Junction to Hanumanthawaka Junction, large portions of the road have lost their top layer, exposing loose gravel that has made the stretch slippery and risky for motorists. Especially, the people using two-wheelers have been expressing fear to use the route.

“The stretch between Isukathota and Hanumanthawaka has become extremely dangerous. The gravel makes it hard to control our bikes, especially during night-time,” said Mr Srinivas Rao, a local commuter, adding that “We hope the authorities take up repairs immediately before any mishap occurs.”

Similar conditions are being reported from several other parts of the city, including Jagadamba Junction, Allipuram, Sheela Nagar, Seethammadhara, and MVP Colony. In many areas, waterlogging has worsened the situation with the top layer of tar peeling off and small stones scattered across the roads. People have been urging the corporation to initiate repair works on a war-footing.

Chief Engineer of GVMC Satyanarayana Raju told The Hindu that the corporation has suffered a loss of around ₹10 crore due to damage caused by the recent rains to roads, underground drainage (UGD) systems, and streetlights etc. He said that approximately 12 km of roads were affected and that a detailed loss report has already been submitted to the higher authorities in the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) department.