The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday demanded that the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) ensure daily drinking water supply to Arilova colonies and make alternative arrangements to maintain water storage at the Mudasarlova Reservoir.

Residents, led by CPI(M) leaders, staged a protest with empty pots in front of the GVMC Assistant Engineer’s office at Balajinagar. As officials were reportedly unavailable, the protesters held a road blockade, disrupting traffic for a brief period.

CPI(M) district secretariat member and former GVMC Floor Leader B. Gangarao said that residents of several colonies in Arilova were facing severe hardship because of irregular water supply. He urged the GVMC to divert water from the TSR Complex pipeline to colonies in Wards 11, 12 and 13, replace defunct borewells, act against alleged illegal borewells and curb private water sales. He also urged the authorities to make alternative arrangements to augment water storage at the Mudasarlova Reservoir.

The party warned of intensifying its agitation if the issue remained unresolved. Among those who participated in the protest were CPI(M) zone secretary V. Krishnarao and other party leaders.