VIZAG matters - Sohan Hatangadi's Blog

There have been some reports recently in the papers about the fate of our once vibrant old town. A walk through the dusty old town today does not reveal the lively social life in that part of Vizag in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. It was so different then that those who did not experience it will consider it pure fiction. A land far far away. A people so alien. A life so unimaginable. Only those of us who lived there will remember those days with poignant fascination, like a hazy dream. It is hard but let me try and give you a picture. We called our part of the town “One Town” or “Soldierpeta”. The beach Road was just around three kilometre in length. There was no outer harbour then and most of us stayed a street or two away from the sparkling clean sea. As kids our playground all summer was the beach and the beach road. We swam, fished, and caught crabs. We wrestled and played football. We played Holly-Colli, Sticks and Stones, Tops and Gilli Danda till it was dark. As winter advance...

The news item GVMC BILLBOARD PLANS Recent newspaper reports on GVMC’s plan to appoint an external agency to handle their Billboard tax collection are quite alarming. Here is why Billboards hinder pedestrians Our cities have no pavements and very little open space in commercial areas where billboards can be accommodated. Pedestrians struggle to walk even 10 feet on Vizag city pavements because they are so rare and when available they are interrupted by missing death trap slabs, electrical poles, open electric switch boxes and the ubiquitous panipuri and noodle vendor.  Billboards spawn businesses below Drawn by the structure of the board, billboards soon become an attraction for myriad street vendors. Before you know it a scooter repair shop, a fruit vendor and the idly cart have occupied the pavement below and tied their temporary shades to the frame of the billboard. Within days what little pavement is available is gone for ever. So you have no option but to wa...