Kurnool Civic Body To Spruce Up City Junctions
Civic officials widen roads, clear shops and upgrade circles to cut congestion.
Kurnool: Civic officials are currently beautifying the road junctions at Gayatri Estate, Basaveswara Circle, Kisan Ghat and the Y-Junction in the city to improve their overall appearance.
At some locations, the width of large traffic circles is also being reduced to enhance commuter convenience and ease the flow of vehicles.
Recently, municipal officials completed the removal of shops at the Budhawarpet–Medical College Junction to facilitate smooth traffic movement. Seven shops on either side of the road were found obstructing road-widening works.
With the voluntary cooperation of the mosque committee, the structures were removed while the government provided compensation to those who lost their properties. R&B officials started clearing the debris to begin widening the stretch.
Civic authorities are planning further beautification of the main junctions while also considering reducing their sizes wherever necessary to ensure unobstructed traffic flow. They have proposed reducing the size of the junction at Gayatri Estate, which occupies a major portion of the main road connecting several important areas in the city. The junction lies between Deva Nagar and Maddur Nagar, close to the Gooty Road junction. Officials believe downsizing it will greatly improve traffic movement.
Similarly, Basaveswara Circle near Srirama Theatre is a busy and strategic point that connects the New Bus Stand, Bellary Chowrasta and the road leading to Raj Vihar Junction. Civic officials plan to beautify the circle and strengthen the signal system to ease the heavy vehicle pressure at Raj Vihar, which experiences congestion due to traffic arriving from multiple routes.
Another proposal includes the development of Kanakadasa Circle at Kisan Ghat with an estimated budget of around Rs 50 lakh to improve public convenience. Officials have also proposed developing the Chhatrapati Shivaji Y-Junction, initially with Rs 30 lakh, with an additional Rs 54 lakh planned for extended works. A huge amount is expected to be spent on upgrading this major junction.
Although the Supreme Court issued guidelines in 2013 instructing states not to permit the installation of statues at road junctions, the order allows essential infrastructure such as high-mast lights, streetlights and traffic signals. However, statues installed in earlier decades continue to cause traffic issues in several major areas, prompting the need for redesigning and restructuring these junctions for better mobility.
