Wishlist 2020: 20 wishes that we hope come true in Visakhapatnam this year

Marking the end of the teen-years, 2020 holds a lot of promise for all of us. Here’s all that the city wishes for this year. It’s the time of the year when we ask citizens of Vizag to come up with all that they wish for this year. As Team Yo! Vizag took to its social media to pose this question, here is the wishlist people across Visakhapatnam came up with for 2020. We hope that at least a few of these wishes come true.

Visakhapatnam Wishlist 2020:

#1 More trees and greenery Vizag’s green cover was something we always took for granted, right up till the Cyclone Hudhud gave us a rude shock. A large percentage of our green cover was simply wiped out overnight. While this did give rise to the greening drive, and we realise its importance more than before, there’s still a long way to go, for the city to have sufficient lung space. Also, the wide-spreading concrete jungle is eating up our green spaces and encroaching upon the land that rightly belongs to wildlife. Here’s hoping that 2020 will not only see more trees being planted but will also mark the start of more eco-consciousness among people.

#2 Food for the soul– As a city known for its love of food, we got super excited when the outlets of KFC, McDonald’s and Burger King opened up. However, there’s still a long list of food chains that the city wants. Eager for more options, outlets that the city’s foodies await include Starbucks, Taco Bell, Korean Restaurants and Krispy Kreme. And yes, adding a couple of eat streets in this delicious mix would satiate our appetites this year.

#3 Pollution–free – Be it the industrial belt, the constantly rising number of vehicles on the road or the winds, the rising levels of pollution have always been a matter of concern. As we have begun to purchase air masks, and constantly check the Air Quality Index of our neighbourhood, we can only hope that 2020 will be relatively pollution-free. With vehicular pollution being a primary concern, the introduction of electric vehicles will be of great help.

#4 Clean city– Having ranked third in the Swachh Survekshan in the last decade, Vizagites are quite positive that the top-ranking shouldn’t be tough to reach. As we take baby steps into 2020, the citizens also hope for more public toilets and dustbins in public spaces. Being the cleanest city in Andhra Pradesh would be a great thing to boast about as well.

#5 Parking woes Parking has always been a challenge, and vehicles are often parked on the roads due to lack of other options. Dedicated parking zones or multi-level parking spaces are much needed to free the space on roads. Also, while parking ought to be free in malls, many continue to levy charges. Citizens hope that things would be better in 2020.

#6 Safe before smart: Given the incidents that seem to be growing in frequency, the security of women is what concerns many. From women-run police stations to stricter punishments, and quicker action, the city looks forth to more focus on being safe. With the Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner, Rajeev Kumar Meena (IPS), announcing that the AP State Government has declared 2020 as the year of women’s safety, things are certainly looking up, and our wishlist 2020 hopes that they stay positive through the year.

#7 Potable Water: Come summer and the city’s woes for water are more than evident. Along with the wish that people will be more careful with the way they use water, we hope that measures will be in place that the 2020 summers are easier upon us. The best measure of this would be when we have to rely minimally on tankers this season. While rainwater harvesting is being done in a small way at different places, we hope the year will present sustainable solutions and teach us smarter ways to use water sensibly and responsibly.

#8 Infrastructure: The construction of the NAD Flyover will be a welcome addition to ease traffic woes and its completion is one of the more anticipated things this year. While the initial deadline of November 2019 has been crossed without any result, we hope that this year will see the flyover become a tangible reality. Also, as we look forth to the new, Visakhapatnam hopes that the old roads wouldn’t be neglected. Here’s wishing that the concerned authorities do cover those potholes, and finish that underground cabling.

#9 Art for the heart: A city that’s at the centre of great arts, crafts, and culture, connoisseurs look forth to more opportunities to see and buy. With December’s Art Bazaar still fresh on many minds, more such art flea markets and exhibitions of local arts and crafts will be It would also be a great platform for the city’s artists to express themselves.

#10 Entertainment: Fun options do tend to get limited for us, and city dwellers have little to do except head to the beach, the movies, or the restaurants. Amusement parks that can engage kids of all ages would be great to have. Animal lovers in Visakhapatnam opine now to be the perfect time for opening a dog park or café where the furry friends are welcome too.

#11 International connectivity: While the past decade made it easier for us to travel to Asian countries, we hope that this year will add more international destinations into the mix. Our wishlist 2020 hopes that the Bhogapuram International Airport becomes a reality and brings in good international connectivity.

#12 Zero Plastics: The bane of plastics, is now being felt like never before. While the ban on plastic bags is a welcome move, citizens, as part of their wishlist, hope that 2020 will be the year that sees zero usage of plastic bags along with reduced dependence on plastic. Whether this would be through the introduction of cloth bags or eco-friendly options, is yet to be seen.

#13 Safe riding: Calm and peaceful riders on the road, a reduction in the number of accidents, lesser traffic, also rank high on the wish Perhaps improvement of public transport, or maybe the introduction of metro rail may help. The addition of cycling tracks to promote eco-friendly transport, wider roads, and proper traffic management are also needed, say the citizens.

#14 Work-wise: Once having the image of a retirement city, Vizag is fast ‘smartening’ up. With a growing number of start-ups making this city their launch pad, there’s still a lot that needs to be done to make it start-up friendly. More jobs for the youth, a better IT industry, more technical events, and global summits that bring the city into the limelight are what Vizag wants.

#15 Permanent shelter and jobs for people on the streets: Drive by the streets, and one would see many homeless people without a roof over their heads. The city’s good Samaritans are often seen donating blankets, food or clothing for these people. The need to provide them with permanent shelter so that they are safe from the vagaries of nature is being felt by the citizens. Some opine that skill training and providing opportunities for jobs is the need of the hour so they can fend for themselves can go a long way too.

#16 Better drainage: With roads that start to resemble muddy rivers during the monsoon, Visakhapatnam has long been suffering from a poor drainage system. Citizens hope that the drainage system will be improved in the coming months. Unclogged free-flowing drains, an effective sewerage network, effective covers to prevent unfortunate accidents are also on our wishlist.

#17 LGBTQ spaces – The need for creating welcome and inclusive spaces for Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer people is being felt like never before. Spaces, where one can go relax and interact without being judged, would truly go a long way in marking us as an emerging and holistic city.

#18 Lesser events by the beach: Our wishlist for Visakhapatnam simply couldn’t be complete without wishing something good for the Beach Road, could it? From a religious event to a large-scale carnival, RK Beach is often the venue. This leads to traffic congestion, high plastic pollution, and congested spaces among other things. While we do want more events in the city, perhaps having them away from the beach would really help.

#19 For our animal-friends: Open spaces for wild animals with lesser human intervention is much needed too. More responsible citizens are much needed to make this possible. Spreading awareness on animal rescue and protection, removing the stigma associated with certain wild animals and dissuading people from keeping wildlife as pets are needed too.

#20 Higher sensitivity: From flouting traffic rules to throwing trash on the roads, just because GVMC will clean it up, we often take the city’s amenities for granted. However, the lack of sensitivity of citizens is a large hurdle in the path of the city’s progress. Here’s hoping that 2020 will make each of us more aware, more responsible, and sensitive to the city.

So, what’s your wishlist for Visakhapatnam in 2020?