The Hindu             26.09.2013

A model colony on first impression

Nestled partly on a flattened hillock, which gives a
picturesque view of the scenic Eastern Ghats on the North and the
far-flung industrial area on the South, Marripalem VUDA Colony, located
close to the National Highway-16 (formerly NH-5), with wide approach
roads, trees, and ornamental plants dotting the roads, gives the first
impression of a ‘model colony’.

A stroll down the
lanes and by-lanes reveals the problems pestering the residents for a
long time. One of the prestigious layouts of the Visakhapatnam Urban
Development Authority (VUDA), it was developed during the mid-1980s, but
construction of individual houses began during 1987-88. The
construction gained momentum during the early 1990s.

“The
colony has around 900 houses, including 45 apartment complexes and 10
group houses. A park has been developed in the colony, which has some
play equipment for children, a neatly laid walking track, and two
shuttle courts. Another place earmarked for construction of a second
park in the colony has not been developed so far. We thwarted the
attempts to encroach onto the vacant park land in the past,” say colony
president M. Vasudeva Rao and past president C. Appa Rao. The colony has
many public amenities such as a rythu bazaar, a community hall
developed by VUDA, a park with a walking track and play equipment,
Central government offices such as the Regional Passport Office and
Provident Fund (PF) Office, State Bank of India, and State government
offices such as District Cooperative Central Bank (DCCB) and Employees
State Insurance (ESI) Office, and schools such as Stella Maris and Siva
Sivani.

On the southern side of the colony, there are
some police quarters and a Forensic Science Laboratory. “The placement
of garbage dumper bins of the colony for collection just outside the
Stella Maris School compound is resulting in health problems to the
children. The foul smell emanating from the overflowing bins, collected
once in two-three days, is causing nausea and vomiting sensation among
the students. We have complained to the GVMC, but they are yet to act on
it,” says V.V. Suryanarayana, colony secretary.

“Another
major problem in the colony is that High Tension lines are passing
through the colony. These HT lines pose a grave danger to residents as
they are running at a low height. During rainy season, when avenue trees
come in contact with the live wires, there is a threat of
electrocution. The branches are chopped off regularly by the electricity
staff. High-rise towers can be used to prevent the tree branches from
reaching the HT lines,” he says.