Vijayawada: Delay in Kanakadurga flyover works which was dream project of the citizens, is increasing their traffic woes. Slow pace of the works and extended deadlines are irking the residents of Bhavanipuram, Vidya-dharapuram and Golla-pudi, who were eagerly waiting for the completion of the project. Meanwhile, requests from contract agency on extending the deadline to 2018 is creating worries.

Telugu Desam government had given top priority to Kanakadurga Flyover project as promised in 2014 elections and started works with a motive of completing it by Krishna Pushkaralu. But the contract agency Soma had failed to complete the works before Pushkaralu due to many reasons and the government had allowed the agency to extend deadlines considering the genuine problem.

Residents of Bhavanipuram who are facing problems with traffic diversions are demanding that the government not extend deadline any more considering the difficulty faced in the traffic. “We are the ones who felt happy with the announcement of flyover. But months are passing and still construction works are continuing at a snail’s pace. We are travelling 5 kilometers additionally to reach a destination which is a mile away from here. Rains have damaged the alternative roads and traffic at Tunnel Centre has become horrible,” says Bollaram Nagendra Babu, a motorist.

The agency which promised to complete works by December 2018 has requested to extend the deadline and CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has seriously said that it would not be extended and that he will monitor the progress every month. “Kanakadurga flyover was the most challenging project as the pillars had to be laid in the canal and Krishna river. “We have decided to go with overhead launching system to give a shape to the project by December 2017 and the project will be ready for inauguration by March 2018 as per the ultimatum issued by the Chief Minister,” says R&B NH wing engineer-in-chief P. Subbaraya Sharma.