Demolition begins amid oppositions

Municipal authorities pulling down unathorised structures at Children's Park Road in Nellore on Friday. - PHOTO: K. RAVIKUMAR

Amid objections from property owners and some political parties, the Nellore Municipal Corporation (NMC) authorities are going ahead with the demolition of illegal structures in the arterial roads as per the 2012 master plan.

Several structures in the Childrens Park Road were pulled down on Friday, amid speculations that the traders and shop owners lobby may stop the demolition drive anytime. The drive at Childrens Park Road took everybody by surprise even as the opposition leaders were demanding exemption to the arterial roads from demolition. Childrens Park Road is very wide and there is no need to put traders into inconvenience in the name of demolition. Alternative steps should be taken for this, said former MLA and Congress leader Anam Vivekananda Reddy. He wanted the Trunk Road to be exempted as such a step would deprive nearly 5,000 families of their livelihood sources. Nearly 400 shops would come under the impact of demolition and around a thousand traders families would be pushed into troubles, he said.

As per the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act 1955, which is applicable to all municipal corporations, there should be transparency in demolition for road widening. The demolition should be taken up only after carrying out land acquisition and taking adequate measures for rehabilitation of the victims.

The argument put forward by some opposition leaders was that the master plan could be implemented for development of interior colonies like MG Nagar and Sundarayya Nagar. The arterial roads like Trunk Road from Sabari Srirama Kshetram to Atmakur Road should be left untouched.

Making a novel suggestion, Mr. Vivekananda Reddy asked the officials to consider shifting the RTC bus stand from Trunk Road to RTO office area where government land is available. Another alternative would be to introduce one-way traffic in the lanes and main roads in the city so that the problem of heavy traffic would be resolved , said Mr. Reddy.

A section of traders and political parties have sent delegations to meet the top leaders in the State and at the Centre.

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Demolition begins amid oppositions