VIJAYAWADA: The satellite villages of Vijayawada city are in dire need of basic facilities such as roads, drinking water, and other social infrastructure. Despite being located on the banks of the Krishna River, many villages lack safe drinking water facilities, as the groundwater in these areas has been found unsafe for consumption due to higher levels of silica and fluorine.
The major issue that villages like Kanuru, Poranki, Tadigadapa, and Penamaluru are facing is the drinking water problem. The groundwater is abnormally hard in the areas between Poranki and Nidamanuru. Despite having huge potential for organic growth, these areas are lagging because of the groundwater problem. The high levels of silica and fluorine in the water are major health concerns for the people living in these areas.
“While appliances in the apartments are getting damaged quickly because of the hard water, people are also falling ill with several health issues,” said N Ravi Kumar, secretary of an apartment association. He mentioned that the residents in their apartment are complaining about hair loss, skin, and gastric problems. The problem is more severe among young children, he said.
Vijayawada city is expanding along and in between the areas of NH-16 and NH-65. However, it has very few and narrow roads connecting these two highways, slowing down growth in these areas. The purpose of expanding NH-65 to four lanes is not being served because of the narrow passageways into these villages. The traffic at Kanuru Arch, Poranki Centre, and Penamaluru Centre is choking with very narrow entry points. Traffic snarls have become a new norm at these points.
Nuthakki Sunil Kumar, a builder from Poranki, said that the road connecting Poranki and Nidamanuru should be widened immediately for faster development of the area.
“The traffic on this road has increased more than two times in the last four years despite the lull in the real estate market. The road at both Nidamanuru and Poranki ends is laden with bottlenecks with narrow entry points. The area will see rapid growth if the drinking water and road connectivity problems are solved,” he said.
