Guntur: Locals in the capital region disrupted the CRDA capital master plan awareness meeting on Wednesday at Guntur over a plan to route the Amaravati expressway and highways through their villages. The Krishnayapalem panchayat passed a resolution refusing to allow the Amaravati expressway from the middle of their village.
CRDA commissioner N. Srikanth, Guntur collector Kantilal Dande, Guntur MP Galla Jayadev and officials tried to pacify the angry farmers but in vain. Arguments broke out between Telugu Desam supporters and angry farmers and the collector stepped in to calm tempers.
The situation became tense when angry farmers shouted slogans against the government after Mr Srikanth and other CRDA officials tried to explain the features of the Amaravati master plan through a power point presentation.
Krishnayapalem villagers led by farmer Karumanchi Anil and others objected to the proposed Amaravati expressway being routed through the village, which they said would lead to demolition of 80 per cent of the houses.
They said that they had voted for the TD and pooled their fertile land but the government is trying to “snatch” their houses. They said the Krishnayapalem panchayat had refused to allow the expressway to run through the middle of the village. They demanded that the government divert the road and warned that they would take back the land if the government fails to fulfil their demand.