VISAKHAPATNAM: The police barricades put up at several places on the Visakhapatnam Bheemili Beach Road in connection with the visit of Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan to Rushikonda angered the people of Sagarnagar, Yendada, and Rushikonda in Vizag on Friday afternoon.
The police put up barricades from noon onwards though the Jana Sena chief was visiting Rushikonda in the evening. The police put up barricades at Jodugullapalem, 6 km away from Rushikonda, near Sagarnagar, and at Peda Rushikonda junction to prevent people from entering the Beach Road.
Hundreds of people were seen at every barricade arguing with police personnel. They were all taken by surprise as no advance announcement was made.
“Every day, I bring my two children from MVP School and take the Beach Road to reach my home at Sagarnagar. The police stopped me at Joduguallapalem and asked me to take the NH to reach my home,’’ said B. Lalitha, who owned a fancy store in MVP Colony and lives in Sagarnagar. She said the NH route was dangerous and long. The traffic moves very slowly due to frequent jams.
Satish N. of Yendada, who had a tough time talking to the police, said the police were not bothered about safety and road rage.
“They told me to take the highway. Today, a car went up in flames at Hanumanthawaka junction and traffic was closed for more than half an hour. The GMVC was taking up repairs and filling potholes during the peak hours in NH. The traffic hardly moved,’’ Satish said.
A former naval civil employee, Dola Sandeep, living in Rushikonda, said the police put up barricades for the second time in a week. A few days ago, when unidentified Jana Sena leaders wanted to stage a peaceful protest at the TTD temple in Rushikonda, the police put up barricades to prevent the people from passing through Beach Road.
“The government is not realising that the people are fed up with barricades and bulldozers,’’ Sandeep said.
The deputy commissioner of police Vidyasagar Naidu and ACP Ch. Vivekanand told this correspondent that the barricades were put up for a few hours only and the people could always take a free NH to reach their homes.
“Occasionally, we have to put up barricades to maintain law and order,’’ said another officer.
