Old City residents oppose road expansion project

Visakhapatnam: Residents and members of the Old City Building Owners and Merchant Welfare Association said GVMC's plans to develop the Old Town main road into a 100 feet road were "illegal, unlawful and unjust".
Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, the representatives of the association claimed GO 345 that approves the road expansion plan was passed without taking into account the stay order imposed by a court against any such measures.
The association said GVMC was behaving like real estate sharks rather than a civic body that cares for the needs of the public. According to the traders, most of the people living in Old City were against the road expansion.
In 1965 and 1975, plans to expand the main road and the Old Town Kotha Road were taken up and a lot of buildings were demolished. Major heritage sites and land mark buildings were knocked down by the GVMC authorities all in the name of ensuring building safety measures, said the traders.
Some of the speakers alleged that political pressure was behind the whole expansion plan which would stretch right from Jagadamba Junction to Victoria statue.