Nellore: One of the fast-growing towns in this district, Nayudupeta, is struggling hard following failure on the part of the municipal administration to organise funds and develop the basic infrastructure. Being centrally located with Special Economic Zones and Industrial estates all around, the town is situated close to Srikalahasthi and Tirupati. It is home to thousands of people from various parts of the country, yet the required attention is not being paid by the municipality and government for its proper upkeep and development. The understaffed civic body is in a fix over handling the sanitary conditions and water supply.
There is a steady increase in the migrations, besides the presence of a floating population from hundreds of villages in the vicinity of the town. Despite of the shortcomings, the civic body is the first one in the district to widen the roads by launching an encroachment removal drive without giving any room for protests, in November last year. Though the victims of the drive were unhappy, other residents appreciated the municipality’s steps for widening the narrow roads. But, the enthusiasm died down, as the extended parts of the roads were not made motorable. Even the electricity poles have not been shifted till date.
The sanitary conditions are also drawing flak from the public who had earlier lauded the municipal staff for their initiatives in this respect. Municipal officials say there is lack of sanitary staff and supervisory staff involvement in pulse survey and other sundry duties. On widening of the roads, municipal commissioner Avineni Prasad said they have mobilised funds to lay cement roads and have drains on both sides of the road in the three main thoroughfares where they had carried out the encroachment demolition drive.
According to Mr Prasad, Rs 1.89crore pertaining to the 13th finance panel and Rs 2crore from 14th finance panel outlays are being allotted to lay roads with median and drains. He attributed the delay in executing the works to the heavy rains for two months last year besides their involvement in carrying out various surveys. They were going to establish a park over 2.74 acres with the assistance of AP Urban Greening and Beautification Corporation. Expressing concern over the dwindling groundwater reserves in the town, because of lack of rains this year, he said the drop in water table shot up their power bills from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.
