Visakhapatnam: As traffic bottlenecks are expected to worsen at Anandapuram junction with the upcoming Bhogapuram airport, authorities from various departments will need to explore measures to decongest the junction and enhance connectivity to the airport. A detailed report will be submitted after a comprehensive study is conducted.
Current Traffic Chaos at Anandapuram
Anandapuram, located approximately 20 kilometers from Vizag city, is renowned for its bustling wholesale flower market. Thousands of people visit the market daily, resulting in significant traffic chaos at the junction. The junction experiences severe congestion from 7 am to 10 am and again from 4 pm to 8 pm. At times, it takes nearly 15 minutes to cross the junction due to the heavy traffic.
Vehicles traveling from Vizag city towards Vizianagaram and Srikakulam must pass through NH-16, Anandapuram Junction, the service road, and then re-enter NH-16. This route leads to utter traffic chaos as vehicles move from the junction to the service road and back onto NH-16. The congestion is exacerbated by narrow-way vendors and parked vehicles that block half the road at Anandapuram Junction.
Inspection and Proposed Measures
Visakhapatnam district collector M Abhishikth Kishore, accompanied by officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), Police, Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), and others, inspected the congested Anandapuram flower market junction. The goal was to identify traffic bottlenecks and explore ways to improve connectivity to the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport.
Speaking to the Times of India, ADCP (traffic), Vizag, K Praveen Kumar, stated that the police, along with officials from NHAI, GVMC, and VMRDA, will identify the exact reasons for the traffic chaos at Anandapuram junction. They will develop both short-term and long-term measures to streamline traffic at this key junction.
Potential Solutions
Among the proposals to ease traffic at the junction are the relocation of the busy Anandapuram flower market and the construction of a flyover. However, sources indicate that implementing these two proposals immediately is not easy. The officials will come up with alignment plans for traffic diversions by widening the existing service roads to ease congestion.
Residents note that the Anandapuram junction is expected to see a sharp rise in traffic movement from Vizag city once the airport becomes operational. Ensuring free flow of traffic is essential for airport passengers; otherwise, reaching the airport could become a daunting task. K Srinivasa, a regular commuter, emphasized that the district administration must come up with a suitable solution to mitigate the traffic chaos at the junction.
