Visakhapatnam: Though Anandapuram-Anakapalle six-lane highway project has been made operational, authorities are yet to de-notify the 62-km NH-16 stretch passing through Vizag city. Thus, heavy vehicles continue to enter the city, causing traffic chaos here.
The city with population around 22 lakhs has over 14 lakh vehicles of all modes moving on the city roads. Over the past few years, vehicular movement in the city has slowed due to due to non-synchronization of traffic signals and entry of heavy vehicles.
Prabhat Ranjan, project director of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Visakhapatnam, said that except for a few locations, the six-landing of the 51-km Anandapuram- Anakapalle highway stretch via Pendurthi and Sabbavaram was completed.
“Vizag city has over 90 traffic signal points. However, synchronization of the signals is yet to be completed. Traffic signals on the NH-16 between Kommadai and Hanumanthuwaka, Maddilapalem and NAD Junction are the main choking points. If the traffic signals are synchronized, vehicles could pass through relatively easier,” said K Srinivasa Reddy, a native.
It is noted that vehicular speed has reduced to 15-20 kmph during the peak hours in some locations in the city. The speed between Hanumanthuwaka and Maddilapalem and Kommadi and Carshed junction has been slowing.
“Initially we thought that six-landing of the 51-km Anandapuram- Anakapalle highway will clear at least 50% of the vehicular traffic on city roads as heavy vehicles will not enter the city limits. However, the Anandapuram-Anakapalle road has reduced just by upto 20% traffic on city roads,” said a senior officer with the transport department.
“I have been staying in Kommadi locality in Vizag city for the past six years. A few years ago, it took 30 mins to reach my office in Siripuram (around 15 km from Kommadi). Now, it takes more than 45 mins to reach my office,” said V Ganesh, a private company employee in the city.
Meanwhile, additional DCP (traffic wing ) Praveen Kumar told TOI, “The NH-16 stretch passing through the heart of the city is yet to de-notify. Hence, some heavy vehicles are entering the city leading to traffic chaos. We have deployed some teams at Anandapuram to divert the heavy vehicles on Anandapuram-Anakapalle NH to mitigate the traffic chaos in the city.”
The additional DCP added,”There are several reasons for the delay in de-notification of the NH-16 stretch. Since the NHAI is yet to complete some works, the local bodies (GVMC and VMRDA) are yet to take over the road stretch.”
