Vijayawada Almost Normal After Budameru Floods: Minister

Vijayawada:Municipal administration and urban development minister Ponguru Narayana asserted that floods in Budameru that affected large parts of Vijayawada city have almost receded.

“By Sunday, September 15, all 32 wards of the city will return to normal condition,” Narayana declared after visiting the areas affected by floods in Budameru in Vijayawada city, including Kandrika, Bose Nagar and Journalist Colony, on Saturday.

Riding a bike to navigate the narrow, waterlogged roads, the minister personally supervised sanitation works undertaken by hundreds of municipal workers in regions hit by floods.

He saw for himself pumping out of water using heavy-duty motors. He reassured the public that floodwaters have almost receded from the city. He expressed confidence that all the 32 wards within the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation will soon return to normalcy.

Narayana acknowledged the challenges that residents are facing due to accumulation of mud in homes. He underlined that fire engines have been deployed in the affected streets to assist with cleaning. He pointed out that efforts are underway to remove silt from drains, so that water flow through drainage systems is smooth.

Residents of some areas complained that damage in their areas has not been fully assessed. Floodwaters are still impacting them, they emphasised. Responding, the minister directed officials to reassess the damage and ensure accurate evaluation. He checked the damage caused to essential infrastructure, including roads, which are crucial to evacuate floodwaters, such as 100-feet road and the bypass.

Narayana committed to building culverts on roads to ensure unobstructed flow of water during the floods in future.

Vijayawada Municipal Corporation commissioner H.M. Dhyanachandra and others accompanied the minister.