VIJAYAWADA: The Autonagar Industrial Area of Vijayawada is languishing in problems. Established in 1966, it was the first automobile service hub of the city; and it continues to be the largest to date. Although the industrial area has expanded to offer all kinds of auto solutions and services over the years, the basic infrastructure is in poor shape. After establishment of the industrial park, the responsibility of maintenance was handed over to the Industrial Area Local Authority (IALA); but the less said about the roads and sanitation, the better. Almost every road in Autonagar is in dire need of a facelift.
The work on the 100 Feet Road running between Bandar Road and Mahanadu Road is yet to take off, and all the artillery roads in the industrial park have developed pits. Garbage is piled up at every corner of the road, and IALA sanitation workers are often seen burning garbage on the road itself. The IALA has been ear-ning close to Rs 5 crore in revenue through taxes, and 35 per cent of this amount goes to the parent body, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC).
IALA chairman Sunkara Durga Prasad said the revenue generated through taxes was insufficient, and that a lack of support from the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) was a reason for the sorry state of affairs. He said that at present they could only afford to have three vehicles pick up one load of garbage each, which was not enough; and that they could not spend more on maintenance because of restrictions placed by the APIIC.
After the bifurcation of the state, some government offices were set up in the industrial area, including the customs commissionerate, income tax office, central excise office and the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation. A bunch of new IT companies have also established offices in the area. CEO of MaaMento Jagadeesh Gondesi said that the area was not comparable to Hyderabad, but that it was a good start.
