Roads Built For PM Modi's Visit Now 'Stolen' In Kurnool

Kurnool: Roads are being stolen in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, quite literally. Weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kurnool on 16 September, roads, trees and construction material at the event site (where a public meeting was held) started vanishing.

Residents say the government spent crores of rupees constructing new roads and beautifying the surroundings for the public meeting held near Nannuru, on the outskirts of Kurnool city.

Estimatively, over 450 acres were cleared and prepared for the event, with tar roads laid and trees planted along the route to the venue.

"The government has laid down new roads using Red Mix granules. Large quantities of that material were left over at the event site. But it is slowly vanishing as thieves are taking it away. If that material had been used in areas that still have no proper roads, it would have been useful. We have already complained to the district collector regarding this," said one resident.

Official records show that nearly Rs 19 crore of public money was spent on roads and clean water arrangements for the single-day function. The roads, including a 2.35 km four-lane stretch and a 2.34 km two-lane section, were completed in haste ahead of the visit. Now, three months later, they are full of cracks and have already begun to deteriorate. In some parts, vehicles struggle to move as layers of tar peel away.

Locals say the roads have now attracted a new kind of thieves. "Usually, thieves break into houses to steal gold, silver or vehicles. But in Kurnool, they are stealing the roads," said another resident.

Illegal traders have been digging up the wet-mix concrete used for the new roads. A visit to the site reveals that wet-mix roads laid for the event are being stripped. The material, known as wet mix, has a good market value, with one cubic metre selling for around Rs 3,000.

With gravel in short supply, the stolen material is in high demand. Locals allege that it is being transported away in tractors, usually at night, with almost no supervision from the authorities.

Even the Trees Have Gone

The ornamental plants and saplings planted for beautification have also disappeared. "The thieves spared nothing, not even the trees," a local civic volunteer said.

Concerned locals have demanded an inquiry into how nearly Rs 19 crore of taxpayers’ money was spent on such poor-quality work, and how materials from public roads are being stolen.

"Were these roads even necessary? Why was so much money spent on temporary arrangements? And why is no one being held accountable now?" asked another resident.

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