Kavali's Ghost Bridge: 15-Year-Old Promise Still Hanging in the Air
Kavali is the second biggest town after Nellore city in the SPSR Nellore district
Nellore: As Kavali town continues to struggle under growing traffic problems, the half-built Pedda Pavani flyover stands as a stark reminder of promises unfulfilled.
It has been nearly 20 years since construction of the Pedda Pavani flyover in Kavali’s Vaikunthapuram area began. The work remains stalled.
The aim of the long-awaited project was to ease traffic congestion and connect nearly 100 surrounding villages to the urban landscape.
The Railways completed their share of the project nearly 15 years ago by building the span over the tracks. Encroachments on the approach roads were cleared, compensation was paid, and hopes were high that Kavali would soon see smooth connectivity.
The work on approach roads on either side of the bridge remains incomplete. What is seen for the past several years is a skeletal structure that has not been turned into a flyover due to administrative neglect.
Kavali MLA Krishna Reddy says, rather than erecting a flyover, an underpass would be a more practical and cost-effective solution. “Building an underpass would require only `15 crore while a flyover would cost `62 crore as per the current rates. A 14-metre-high flyover would inconvenience pedestrians and senior citizens,” he reasoned.
The proposal has been forwarded to chief minister Chandrababu Naidu with expectations that the roads and buildings department would prepare an implementation report. Railway officials too have been approached.
Locals are losing their hope. They recall that three different foundation plaques were unveiled by successive MLAs and governments over the years, yet the construction has not moved beyond the central span.
“Every time an election comes, leaders come here, unveil a stone, and go away," says a resident of Vaikunthapuram.
An engineer from the R&B department said there has been no decision yet for resuming the work. “We are ready from our side. Once the government issues the orders, we can go ahead,” he said.
The Democratic Rights Protection Forum (Prajaswamika Hakkula Parirakshana Vedika) recently submitted a petition to the R&B superintendent engineer, with a plea to the government to complete the flyover project. Forum leaders say the incomplete flyover is not just an inconvenience but a shame on the town.
Kavali is rapidly expanding as a town, with migrants coming in from nearby villages, but its infrastructure has failed to keep pace. Traffic jams have become a curse. The people’s reliance on the aging Udayagiri bridge, which frequently undergoes repairs, has raised safety concerns.
The forum said in its petition, “Heavy vehicles continue to ply on the old bridge that can ill afford to bear the load. This is reducing its lifespan. If this continues, it may collapse one day. Completing the Pedda Pavani flyover can give the town considerable relief. Alternatives like an underpass will only prolong the suffering.”
Political activists support the forum’s push but are not capable of doing anything on their own. “This is not about politics; it’s about survival and safety for Kavali’s residents,” said Vedika convener Karavadi Bhaskar, flanked by CPI’s Dama Ankaiah, CPIM’s Pasupuleti Penchalayya, CPI-ML’s Lakshmireddy and CITU’s Krishna Mohan.
