GVMC plans to revamp 253 km of roads in Visakhapatnam with modern facilities in the next five years

The corporation is planning take up the ₹500 crore project under Operation & Maintenance basis and the payment will be made on annuity mode, says GVMC Commissioner

About 253 km of roads (Over 40 feet width) under the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will be getting a facelift with all facilities in a phased manner in the next five years. The corporation has proposed to take up the project under Operation & Maintenance basis. The authorities estimate worth of project to be around ₹500 crore and the payment will be made on annuity mode.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, GVMC Commissioner P. Sampath Kumar said that assessment and identification of the roads in all the eight zones has already been completed, where in the GVMC has categorised the roads as poor, medium and good. About 39.92 km roads were identified as poor roads, 116.36 km as medium roads and 97.27 km were identified as good roads. “As a priority, we would put efforts to improve the poor roads,” he said.

Mr. Sampath Kumar said that the roads will have all road infrastructure right from medians, bus stops, street lights, ornamental lights, road markings, light improvement in junctions, modular traffic signals and CCTVs.

Mr. Sampath Kumar said that there will be focussed approach and a single contractor will be given the responsibility of the works. The corporation will have a single point of contact, he said, adding that this model was successful in Hyderabad and Thiruvananthapuram, which results in cost cutting and yield good condition of roads within five years. Based on the performance of the contractor and the results, the corporation may expand the project, he said.

“As of now, design surveys have been going and soon a Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be prepared. Five-year tender will be allotted. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has also given his nod,” Mr. Sampath Kumar said.

The city has about 3,086 km of road network in which stretch of 2,954 km is GVMC roads, while 51 km is National Highway and 80 km is under R&B.

Two major projects for Madhurawada

Mr. Sampath Kumar has said that as part of measures to meet the drinking water needs of the Madhurawada region, infrastructural arrangement is being made by the corporation.

While all the pumping stations are in the southern side of the city, Madhurwada is located in the northern side. After pumping at multiple places, Kanithi Balancing Reservoir, TSR Complex and Mudasarlova, and after travelling against gravity, water flow is reducing while reaching Madhurawada, he said.

“While the entire city receives about 110 Litres Per Capita Per Day, a highly developed area like Madhurawada is receiving around 70 LPCD,” he observed.

To meet the requirement and minimise water loss, we need to increase the capacity of stations in the existing route, but it will cost around ₹1,200 crore, he said.

“To fill the gap and minimise the cost, we have come up with a plan. Water will be pumped from KBR to Narava Hill, which is about 10 km. From Narava, water will diverted to Mudasarlova through gravity which is about 15 km. This would cost about ₹295 crore,” Mr. Sampath Kumar said, adding that the project is in the initial stage and talks are on with International Finance Corporation (IFC) for a loan.

He said that another project for taking up Underground Drainage (UGD) network in Zone II Madhurawada is in the pipeline. At present, the ₹550 crore project are in talks with the IFC and the DPR was already scrutinised.

“May be within two months, we may get the first instalment,” he said.

Published - November 19, 2024 10:42 pm IST