By P.v. Prasad
Copyright deccanchronicle
KURNOOL: Roads in Kurnool city are giving commuters a nightmarish experience. Despite authorities of the city spending money on repeated patchworks, the roads deteriorate again within a short time, raising questions about the quality of works carried out. Kurnool, with a population of over 6.50 lakh across 52 wards, has around 750 km of roads, including 500 km of cement concrete (CC) roads, 20 km of bitumen (BT) roads, and the rest gravel roads. After the NDA coalition government came to power, huge funds have been spent under the “Pothole-Free Andhra Pradesh” initiative. However, most of these repairs have not lasted beyond a few months. Officials say between November 2024 and August 2025, they have carried out extensive patchworks at a cost of ₹2 crore. More than 700 potholes had been filled across several colonies in the city. But motorists and residents complain that the potholes have resurfaced everywhere. For the past four years, the road opposite All India Radio has remained hard to commute, with no action taken by city officials till now. Several colonies depend on this stretch. Commuters, particularly two-wheeler riders, have been falling and getting injured while using this road. Despite repeated appeals to public representatives, no concrete action has been taken, reportedly due to the high budget required for repairing the one-kilometre stretch. The road is frequently used by heavy trucks carrying ration rice and other goods. A resident of Geethanjali Venture V. Kumar said although they have been living in the area for the past five years, the road has only been covered with mud ahead of every rainy season. Once it rains, it becomes a nightmare for commuters. Works in Santoshnagar had been done with concrete mixture. However, as the patches had not been properly cured, gravel became loose within months. Recent rains have worsened the damage, making the potholes bigger. Locals allege that contractors try to save costs, resulting in the same stretches requiring repairs repeatedly. This is nothing but misuse of public funds, residents of the area underline. Recently, another ₹20 lakh had been sanctioned to fill potholes ahead of the Ganesh immersion festival. Residents say rains once again exposed the substandard work. People are demanding strict monitoring of road repairs by third parties to ensure quality and durability, instead of wasting funds on temporary patchworks. An official from the Roads and Buildings department said patched-up potholes got damaged during the rainy season. These will be repaired soon, he stated.
