Traffic jam at 4th bridge as Amaravati farmers continue Padayatra

KAKINADA: A traffic jam lasted two hours at the 4th bridge on River Godavari as the Maha Padayatra undertaken by Amaravati farmers winded its way from Kovvuru to Rajamahendravaram on Monday.

As per the farmers’ plan, they were to pass through the road-cum-railway bridge. The bridge remained closed for a week due to repair works.

Vehicles have been allowed on one side through the toll gate. The Amaravati farmers passed through the other side. During this time, heavy traffic jams were seen.

A woman farmer, Aluri Raghavamma, fell sick and was unconscious. She was admitted to a hospital at Rajamahendravaram by ambulance help. MLAs Nimmakayala China Rajappa, Nimmala Ramanayudu, former Ministers Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, KS Jawahar, former MLAs Jyothula Venkata Apparao (Nehru), Chintamaneni Prabhakar, B Sesha Rao, Ganni Veeranjaneyulu, M Srinivas, Vangaveeti Radha, Paritala Sriram, M Venkata Raju, S Chinni and others participated in padayatra.

Meanwhile, there was internal tussle between two groups in Telugu Desam at Kovvuru. The two groups fought between themselves on the issue of joining the Padayatra and a small stampede took place.

When the Padayatra reached Katheru, East Godavari TD leaders gave it a grand welcome. But, there was tension at Mallayyapeta as YSRC leaders and cadres floated  black balloons into air and wore black badges and flexes. They raised slogans of “Go back, Amaravati farmers’’ and “We want three capitals and decentralized development, not single capital in Amaravati.”

Amaravati farmers stayed at Mallayyapeta for the night and would continue the padayatra on Tuesday through Rajamahendravaram city --from R&B housing colony to Morampudi Centre -- through Aryapuram, Gokavaram Bus Stand, Devichowk, Somalamma centre, Saikrishna Centre, Deluxe centre, Kotipalli Bus Stand, Municipal Stadium (lunch), Thadithota and VLPuram. On Wednesday, the Padayatra reaches Kesavaram village.