Vizag-Gopalapuram road work starts after NSTL nod

Visakhapatnam: The Naval Science and Technological Laboratory has agreed to demolish part of its compound wall to provide an alternative road to commuters travelling between Gopalapatnam and Vizag city.

The road works began here on Wednesday with the removal of a part of the wall. Though the approvals had been given long ago to lay a road, the NSTL did not give its nod to break down the wall till recently.

Meanwhile, the traffic problems increased due to the construction of NAD flyover. Vizag West MLA P.V.G.R. Naidu (Gana Babu) took up the issue with NSTL director O.R. Nandagopan on Tuesday and he responded positively.

Traffic was diverted though the bypass route from Wednesday evening. With this, traffic is expected to come down at least by 60 per cent between NAD Junction and Gopalapatnam, providing great relief to commuters from Simhachalam, Vepagunta, Kothavalasa and Pendurthi to the city and back.

According to locals, traffic congestion at NAD Junction has been a long pending issue. The residents of surrounding colonies have been demanding an alternative route since 2006. Several requests and representations had been made to the Defence Ministry as it is a restricted notified area. The problem became more severe with the ongoing flyover works.

MLA Gana Babu said that he personally urged NSTL director and assured to provide a security guard and rebuild scooter parking facility adjacent to the wall along with the compensatory land of same extent.

The GVMC is likely to spend '30 lakh on laying the road and building a new compound wall for the NSTL. A committee was formed in 2016 to look into the possibility of laying a connecting road to the 100-ft road between Gopalapatnam petrol station and Gosala.

The Ministry of Defence had agreed to hand over 1,600 sq yd land in NSTL premises to lay the new road. The same extent of land belonging to the Simhachalam Devasthanam will be given to NSTL.