Jagan Visit: Excessive Arrangements Troubling Public

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will release the third tranche of funds, as part of loans for 0% interest to the SHG women, in Ongole later today. However, the officials have been putting the entire city to trouble in the name of restrictions, in view of the CM’s visit. As part of the security measures for the CM’s visit, several prohibitions have been put in place all along the route through which his convoy would pass.

Petrol refilling stations and shops within 4 km distance from the convoy route had been removed and the exercise began three days ago itself. Petty traders have been restricted from moving in the vicinity of the route. Police picket has been arranged all along the way putting both the public, visitors to trouble in the city, only to remain in the good books of the CM. The entire stretch has been filled with iron girders to put up banners and flexis for the CM’s visit.

On Thursday, none of the locals were allowed to pass through the route, making it more like a fort.

The CM is scheduled to visit the city in the morning and leave by afternoon. A helipad has been arranged at the ABM College, close to the PVR High School, the venue of the CM’s meeting. All through the route leading to the CM’s meeting venue, vegetable vendors, petty traders and schoolchildren are a regular sight. However, all of them have been pushed away to ensure smooth passage to the CM’s convoy. School buses have been pressed into service to shift women in large numbers, to welcome the CM.

More than 460 buses have been arranged to shift 10,000 women to the meeting venue. For this purpose, vehicles of private schools and colleges have been taken into control. The arrangements for the CM’s visit have drawn flak as the annual examinations for students of Classes I to IX are underway and now, they do not have buses to shift them to the respective schools.

The entire venue and surrounding premises has been painted in YCP colours, balloons and festoons. The CM is also scheduled to attend a private function and bless a newly wed couple at Kandi Ravi Shankar’s house. Barricades and police restrictions have in fact left the citizens fuming at the authorities for the ‘excessive arrangements’ made for the CM’s tour.

Common men are annoyed with the routine being practiced by the police and government officials for Jagan’s visits. The extraordinary restrictions and traffic diversions, closure of shops en route the meeting venue and other decorations are posing trouble to the public.

It is only for the media consumption that it is being said that the CM had been serious over the officials for putting the public to inconvenience during his visit. When he visited Vizag and Guntur too, people’s patience was put to test. Then there were reports that the CM warned officials of strict action if they ever troubled the citizens just for his visit but it seems that his orders are being considered only as words but not in true spirit, pointed out the residents of Ongole.

Yesterday, a common man’s car was snatched away by the police to be included in the CM’s convoy. This is atrocious. Jagan should remember that he is a public servant but not an angel from the heavens, pointed out TDP leaders.