Proposal for Auto Nagar at Paloncha remains pending for years

A proposal to set up an Auto Nagar at Paloncha near Kothagudem remains pending for years. Mechanics have urged local representatives to act swiftly, saying the project will provide livelihood to thousands and bring all automobile services under one roof

Kothagudem: A proposal to establish an Auto Nagar, a complex for two-wheeler and four-wheeler mechanics to set up shops at Paloncha near Kothagudem, is still pending, much to the disappointment of the mechanics community.

Automobile mechanics in Kothagudem and Paloncha have several times brought the matter to the notice of the government through elected representatives, but in vain. A large number of mechanics have set up shops scattered along the Kothagudem–Bhadrachalam highway that connects Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

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It was proposed to set up the Auto Nagar at Paloncha, known as the industrial hub of the district, to bring all automobile garages, mechanics, auto parts dealers, truck and tractor body builders, tinkering workers, automobile painters and others to one place for everyone’s convenience.

Following the proposal, steps were taken to identify a site for it. Land behind the steel plant at Srinivasa Colony and Kuntinagulagudem was identified for the purpose a few years ago, but there has been no progress on the project.

Two-Wheeler Mechanics Association president Shravan Kumar said that the association has submitted memorandums to local elected representatives several times. He added that the local MLA should take the initiative to move the project forward as it provides livelihood to thousands of workers.

One of the identified sites should be finalised and the Auto Nagar construction should begin at the earliest. The mechanics are forced to spend large sums of money on rents and often struggle to find shops for rent, he explained.

Shravan Kumar further said that there are around 1,500 mechanics in and around Paloncha. If the Auto Nagar is built, they could all set up shops at one place at a reasonable cost, and it would also benefit owners of motorbikes, cars, trucks, tractors and other vehicles to get repairs done at one location, he added.