Date:11/11/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/11/11/stories/2007111153360300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Road-widening third phase begins

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: The third phase of road-widening works from the Fort to Gumchi began on Saturday.

MLA K. Veerabhadra Samy, who was supervising the works, told reporters that following an appeal from residents, the road was being widened to 55 feet as against 66 feet proposed in the master plan.

The Municipal Council had approved the proposal, he said, and added that building owners, on their own, were removing structures.

He said that Minister for Housing B. Satyanarayana had assured the municipality of releasing funds from the Visakhapatnam Urban Development Authority, which was executing the works. Road-widening would be completed by Sankranti.

Municipal Commissioner S.S. Verma said that 63 persons owned 73 buildings on either side of the 250-metre stretch of road. Of them, 49 owners had given consent in writing. The remaining too had agreed to remove the structures. No one would be paid compensation, he said.

Municipal Chairperson M. Geetha was present.