VIJAYAWADA: Traffic woes on the Mahatma Gandhi road, popularly known as Bandar road from NTR circle to Autonagar bus stand, are going to be resolved with the expansion of the road. The distance of 1.7 km from NTR circle to Autonagar bus stand which should be covered in four minutes, takes at least 10 minutes and up to 15 minutes during peak hours.
The majority of educational institutions, hospitals, business firms, shops and other offices are situated on this road and nearly 75,000 vehicles pass on it every day, making Bandar road the busiest road in Vijayawada city.
The road is 80 feet wide and the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation decided to expand it to 120 feet; but the locals opposed the proposal severely. The officials then held talks with the locals several times and finally decided to expand the road to 100 feet only. The majority of locals have agreed to it.
Students G. Anudeep and A. Sekhar said that they studied in Siddartha College and had to spend at least one hour to go to the college and to return to home. They lamented that as the Bandar road had turned into the main commercial road of the city, vehicular activity had greatly increased and vehicles moved very slowly during peak hours. They welcomed the proposed expansion of the road.
Locals of Yadavula Bazaar, P. Madhu and J. Murthy, said that traffic jams had become the norm and patients going to hospitals during emergencies were put to trouble as the majority of hospitals were situated on the Bandar road.
They stated that NTR circle had become a congested traffic web where five roads connected to the junction and sought expansion of the circle. VMC commissioner J. Nivas said that Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) bonds, in 1:4 ratio, had been offered to the house owners and compensation would be given for structures which would be removed for road expansion. He said that a meeting was held with the building owners and they agreed to the expansion of Bandar road to 100 feet from the present 80 feet. He added that road expansion works would be started soon.
