Vijayawada: What should have been a routine commute turned into a nightmare for thousands of motorists on Thursday, as heavy rain submerged a key stretch of National Highway 16 between Ramavarappadu and Prasadampadu, exposing what residents describe as years of neglect and delayed infrastructure works.
The downpour left nearly 2 km of the busy national highway under water, severely disrupting traffic and slowing vehicle movement on one of Andhra Pradesh’s most important corridors. Commuters were forced to navigate stagnant water, traffic bottlenecks and damaged road stretches.
The affected portion is part of the 14-km-long NH-16 stretch passing through Vijayawada city. Areas such as Nidamanuru, Enikepadu and Prasadampadu are already known for narrow carriageways and frequent congestion. However, over the past two years, severe flooding even during moderate rainfall has emerged as a recurring problem.
Officials attribute the issue to airport corridor works carried out during 2023–24. As part of the project, slabs were laid over drains on both sides of the highway. While intended to improve infrastructure, the covering has made routine cleaning and desilting nearly impossible. Over time, the drains became clogged, drastically reducing their capacity to carry stormwater. As a result, rainwater now overflows onto the highway during heavy showers, turning the stretch into a temporary water channel and bringing traffic to a standstill.
“We face this problem every time it rains. Water remains on the road for hours, traffic barely moves and our bikes risk getting damaged,” said K. Raghu, a private school teacher from Nidamanuru.
Prolonged water stagnation has also damaged the road surface, with potholes emerging at several locations between Ramavarappadu Ring Road and Nidamanuru in recent days.
Although proposals to restore and upgrade the drainage system were prepared in July 2025, progress has been slow. Officials say tendering has recently been completed, and work will begin soon. Residents, however, question why preventive measures were not taken ahead of the monsoon, accusing authorities of failing to resolve a problem affecting thousands of commuters every year.
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