Kothagudem-Yellandu bypass widening yet to begin despite proposal

The proposed widening of the Kothagudem–Yellandu bypass road remains stalled, despite letters from the local MLA and civic appeals. Residents continue to suffer due to traffic congestion, poor road conditions, health risks, and frequent accidents amid complete administrative inaction

Kothagudem: The proposed widening of the Kothagudem–Yellandu bypass road, from the Post Office Centre to Hemachandrapuram, remains a non-starter, forcing daily commuters to endure a severely damaged stretch with no signs of development.

Kothagudem MLA Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao had proposed converting the narrow road into a four-lane carriageway with dividers and central lighting. In April this year, he wrote to the SCCL Chairman and Managing Director, seeking an allocation of Rs.10 crore from the company’s CSR funds for the project.

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He also wrote to the District Collector, stressing the need to expand the road under the Kothagudem Urban Development Authority to ease traffic congestion. The stretch houses two churches, Prakasam Stadium, the district court, and several government offices, resulting in heavy vehicular flow and posing a safety risk to commuters.

However, four months on, there has been no response, no fund release, no groundwork, and no official communication. The issue is worsened by hundreds of trucks carrying coal and other heavy goods that ply on the road every day.

During the monsoon, the stretch becomes almost impassable, with heavy vehicle movement deepening the potholes and breaking up the surface. The road also passes key institutions such as the ZP office, DSP office, LIC office, Government Junior College, R&B office, an Eidgah, and the district police headquarters.

Despite repeated appeals from residents to ministers and district officials over the years, the condition remains poor. Frequent accidents occur due to the potholes, but the authorities have failed to act.

Balaswamy, a resident of Sheshagiri Nagar, said dust from the damaged road pollutes the locality, causing health issues. “The SCCL management should act immediately and release the funds to develop the road,” he demanded.

Another resident, P Reshwanth, recalled that the R&B department had proposed converting the stretch into a 100-foot carriageway six years ago. “The officials are not even taking the effort to fill potholes. It reflects sheer negligence towards public safety,” he said.