Forum seeks removal of Vizag Square at Siripuram Junction

Visakhapatnam: The Forum for Better Society, Visakhapatnam, has urged the Andhra Pradesh government to remove or relocate Vizag Square, a public space developed at the busy Siripuram Junction, stating that it has become a major source of civic inconvenience, traffic obstruction and safety concerns.

In a representation, the Forum said the structure has distorted urban planning and added to the burden on the city traffic police. According to the Forum, several citizens, traffic experts, and residents believe the structure has become detrimental to the city’s traffic management and public convenience. It said that the structure occupies crucial road space in an already congested traffic corridor, resulting in severe peak-hour traffic snarls, lane indiscipline, long detours, and delays affecting ambulances and other emergency services.

The Forum further noted that the structure has increasingly turned into a gathering point for unruly youth, bike racers and reel-makers, besides becoming a venue for midnight celebrations, public disorder and repeated vandalism. It requested the government to conduct an independent technical, legal and traffic feasibility assessment of the project and examine the legality of road alterations and parking facilities extended to Dutt Island that allegedly affect the master plan alignment.

The Forum also sought directions to the GVMC to relocate the structure to a more suitable non-obstructive location, restore the original traffic utility and road geometry of Siripuram Junction, fix accountability for planning deviations and ensure that private commercial interests do not override public road rights in future urban planning decisions.