Officials speed up decade-old pending works of BRTS road in Visakhapatnam

GVMC has sped up decade-old pending works of Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in Visakhapatnam due to proposed capital shift. The 43.3 km-long road was incomplete due to a two-km stretch. GVMC has issued a public notification to vacate the area and provide structural compensation to project affected people. The BRTS road is being constructed with joint finance from State, Centre and GVMC. Govt. aims to complete road for VIP movement and beautify Visakhapatnam.

The proposed shifting of the capital to Visakhapatnam appears to be playing a key role in speeding up the decade-old pending works of the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) in ward number 98 of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), falling under Bheemunipatnam Assembly segment.

The 43.3 km-long road remained incomplete till recently as its two-kilometre stretch between Old Adivavaram and Gosala, near Simhachalam, was not completed. The rest of the road was completed over a decade ago. Although it was not officially launched due to the incomplete stretch, the 100-foot road network has since been used by the public.

“The government wants to complete this road urgently for VIP movement in the backdrop of Visakhapatnam becoming the proposed Executive capital of the State,” official sources said.

According to the latest G.O., the government has identified suitable office places for Secretariat level heads of Medical and Health Department at Hanumanthawaka, Municipal Administration & Urban Development at various areas including Arilova and Pendurthi, and Endowments Department at Simhachalam. All these areas are connected to BRTS road.

“We cannot link this BRTS road to the capital shift, but it is a fact that the government wants to complete the pending BRTS works to beautify Visakhapatnam as it is the only city with cosmopolitan look for projecting at international level for any matter on behalf of the State. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s top priority is to further improve infrastructure in Visakhapatnam,” Bheemunipatnam MLA Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao told The Hindu.

GVMC has issued a public notification appealing to the people to vacate the area for complete the BRTS road, and it had identified project affected people within a radius of two kilometres. GVMC 98th Ward Corporator from Telugu Desam Party P.V. Narasimham said, “GVMC started demolishing buildings without giving time. The corporation gave notice on November 10 and started demolition work from November 14. We demanded proper compensation for the project affected people before taking up the works.”

Speaking to The Hindu, GVMC Commissioner Saikanth Varma said, “The corporation is committed to provide structural compensation and 1:4 transferable development right bonds to total 322 affected people of the two-kilometre stretch by December 1. Once this compensation task is completed, the line is cleared for total completion of the BRTS road.”