Visakhapatnam citizens opine on the ambitious projects in the city

From flyovers that ease out commute in the city, to development of the beach-front, promises on the city’s development to make it ‘smarter’ have been aplenty. With every leader promising ambitious projects, Vizagites today are a wary lot. Whether it be projects like the metro-rail development or the ongoing NAD flyover, citizens today aren’t really sure of whether governments will keep their promises. There is also a large segment of people which feels that projects inspired from international destinations are being ‘copied’ and ‘pasted’ for Visakhapatnam, at the cost of its identity.

On the one hand, are larger than life ambitious projects that seem too unreal to be true. With work on some seeming to move at a snail’s pace, the citizens are concerned whether the due timeline would really be followed. Then there are the ongoing projects like underground cabling that leave deep holes on every street, making it tougher to navigate through the already narrow lanes. Finally, there are tourism projects that threaten the ecological balance of this part of the Eastern Ghats.
So, are these ambitious projects too good to be executable? Do they keep the city and its unique development in mind? And is this the kind of development that the city wants to see? The citizens of Vizag opine.

“The outcome of these projects will definitely help the city in the coming days. However, the concern lies with their execution. Unlike in other cities, the major share of land in Vizag remains under the control of Indian Navy, Railways and Port Trust, thereby causing legal issues for the district administration. Delays such as these might double the budget estimates, causing inconvenience to the civic life. Until and unless there is good coordination between the central, state and district bodies, we can’t assume healthy development.”

-Ravi Teja Dogga

“The government has to be appreciated for charting out an ambitious roadmap for the city. While the top brass has been successfully attracting massive investments from around the globe, the problem has been with the execution of these projects. The officials must overcome the challenges successfully and ensure timely completion to justify people’s faith in them.”

-Kalyani Pemmaraju

“Developments in the city are happening, albeit at a slow pace. There have been many infrastructure related improvements in the city. But a few of these developments are inconveniencing people. The dug up roads in the city are a visible example. I hope the government would conduct work in a more phased manner.”

-Dr. A S Murty