Will Vizag’s growing traffic woes be eased by the two upcoming flyovers?

If the current trends of traffic in Vizag are anything to go by, the citizens seem to be in for some tough times ahead. With the number of vehicles in the city on the rise, the lanes appear to be getting busier and cramped for room ever than before. While the upward trend of vehicle sales might be a reason for the issue, experts also cite improper regulatory systems as a prime cause. With two new flyovers coming up in the city, one each at the NAD and convent junctions, Vizagites expect of some respite while traveling on roads, at least in some parts of the city.

The NAD junction is one of the prime centres in Vizag and faces traffic related issues throughout the day. A busy junction, which is a part of NH5, that is well connected to the airport and other prominent locales in the city, this place requires better management of the traffic congestion and the upcoming NAD flyover is deemed to do the same.

The project, which was taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 113 crore, is expected to be completed by November 2019.

With Port Trust Chairman M.T Krishna Babu’s efforts paying a dividend, the officials of National Highways Authority of India handed over the construction responsibilities of the flyover at Convent junction to M.V.R Infra.

This flyover, which is expected to stretch over about 700 metres, is proposed to offer a much easier transit for the vehicles which would be travelling into or out of the port.

If driving on Vizag’s roads wasn’t bad enough, finding a suitable space for is a nightmare come true. As cars jam into every possible inch of space on either side of the road, people often have to travel an extra mile or even more just to find a spot. And while this can be irksome for the vehicle owner, it is worse for all those who are forced to either navigate amongst haphazardly parked vehicles or risk walking on the road itself. Last and definitely not least in the order of importance are the woes of the traffic policemen, who are held responsible for the chaos that erupts on the road. While major ‘no parking’ zones along major roads have been earmarked, with a lack of proper spaces, many people continue to park on either side of the road, often right under the ubiquitous ‘no-parking’ signs.

While the upcoming flyovers offer a glimmer of hope to many in Vizag, their timely completion remains as a major factor in determining their efficacy in the current scenario.