Nightmarish road stretch from Duvvada railway station to VIIT posing risk to commuters

Nightmarish road stretch from Duvvada railway station to VIIT with potholes, dust, and safety concerns for pedestrians and motorists.

Walking or driving on the 1.8 km main road stretch from Platform no. 4 side of Duvvada railway station to Vignan Institute of Information Technology(VIIT), is a nightmare for road users. While gravel has surfaced at some places, potholes and craters formed at others causing difficulties to road users.

The absence of street lights is adding to the woes of both pedestrians and motorists after dark. Heavy trucks and tippers, using this road, kick up dust from the potholes and craters giving a tough time to two-wheeler riders. The presence of bushes on one side and the railway track on the other poses a threat to pedestrians exposing them to the risk of being hit by heavy trucks and tippers coming from behind.

During the rainy season, the potholes are filled with water and pedestrians and two-wheeler riders run the risk of getting a splash of muddy water on their clothes. The residents of nearby colonies and the Duvvada Railway Users Association (DRUA) had taken up the issue with officials concerned in the past but their efforts went in vain.

As many as 47 pairs of regular trains and special trains halt at Duvvada. Women and girl students of Vignan Institute of Information Technology (VIIT) fear to tread on this road after dark due to absence of street lights and growth of bushes.

A high-level gauge has to be provided at the entry of the road close to the railway station-end to prevent the movement of heavy vehicles like trucks and tippers on this road to prevent further damage and for the safety of road users.

“Pedestrians are also facing difficulties while travelling on the road due to dust in summer mud spills during the rainy season. Both two and four-wheelers are getting damaged frequently due to the uneven surface,” says Katam SS Chandra Rao, an executive of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant(VSP), who travels by this road regularly.

“Thousands of people residing in STBL colonies, Green City, Narava, and Vignan university students, staff are utilising this road from Duvvada railway station,” he says.