Kakinada : The Citizens’ Welfare Association has demanded that the Kakinada Municipal Corporation immediately complete the pending centre divider construction on the Suresh Nagar–NFCL Road, alleging that the incomplete project has led to traffic chaos and raised serious concerns over the execution of civic works.
According to the association, while double-lane cement concrete (CC) roads, drainage works, and centre divider construction were taken up along the stretch, the divider work was left unfinished, resulting in vehicles moving haphazardly and increasing the risk of accidents. They further alleged that concrete blocks originally dumped at the site for the divider were later shifted to other locations.
The association questioned how bills were processed despite the work remaining incomplete, claiming that public funds allocated by the Corporation had not been properly utilized. It also alleged that similar irregularities had occurred over the past decade, where CC roads were laid without constructing drainage systems, yet contractors received full payments.
Citizens’ Welfare Association Convener and social activist Doosarlapudi Ramana Raju alleged that a lack of vigilance over engineering works, particularly after the Smart City project came under implementation, had encouraged corruption. He claimed that engineering officials allegedly exploited periods when funds were abundantly available and later sought transfers to other municipalities after completing only partial works.
The association further alleged that corruption had increased significantly under Smart City projects and demanded a public inquiry into all works executed under the scheme. It asserted that such an investigation would expose large-scale financial irregularities and the alleged accumulation of illegal assets by certain engineering officials.
Referring to another civic issue, the association alleged that an unauthorized park constructed near Buckingham Canal between two bridges resulted in excessive silt accumulation in Upputeru, leading to the collapse of the approach road to the NTR Bridge and causing an estimated loss of ₹12 crore to the public exchequer.
The association also criticized the absence of disciplinary action or inquiries by successive governments, stating that the lack of accountability had weakened the functioning of the Municipal Corporation. It further objected to the practice of applying white cement paint on green trees in the name of beautification, alleging that it was damaging the environment.
Demanding transparency, Doosarlapudi Ramana Raju called for a comprehensive investigation into all Corporation engineering works carried out between 2014 and 2026 and urged the government to initiate strict action against those responsible for any irregularities and corruption.
