YSRCP condemns demolitions in Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, September 20: YSR Congress Party Visakhapatnam District President KK Raju strongly condemned the coalition government for carrying out arbitrary demolitions of roadside shops and hawkers’ stalls without prior notice. 

Speaking at the party city office, he said thousands of families, depending on street vending for livelihood, have been rendered helpless overnight.

Raju stated that the demolitions were part of a calculated conspiracy, planned when MLAs and corporators were away. Officials of GVMC and the police are shifting blame on each other, creating confusion. “If the government is serious, it should act against illegal commercial complexes without parking, not poor vendors running their shops for over two decades,” he stated.
He reminded that under YSRCP, 24 hawker zones were established with trade licenses to ensure both traffic regulation and livelihood protection. In contrast, the present government is destroying Visakhapatnam’s brand image only to divert investments to Amaravati. “Chandrababu fears that if Vizag prospers, Amaravati will lose its prominence,” Raju said.

He warned that until viable alternatives are provided, demolitions must stop immediately. On Monday, party leaders will meet the GVMC Commissioner to demand justice for affected hawkers and protection of their livelihoods.