Naidu fast-tracks highway construction

Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has set a target to complete 1,040 km of national highway projects with an outlay of Rs 20,067 crore in the state by the end of 2025. To achieve this, he has directed officials to resolve all outstanding issues related to land acquisition, forest, and wildlife clearances for both ongoing and upcoming state and national highway projects by the end of July. The Chief Minister underscored the critical need for uninterrupted and accelerated execution of road works across Andhra Pradesh.

During a comprehensive review meeting held at the Secretariat on Monday with senior officials and contractors, Naidu assessed the current status of road infrastructure projects.

Expressing his dissatisfaction over the existing delays in certain projects, he issued a clear directive that no further delays in road construction will be tolerated. “Delays are unacceptable. Accelerate every project and clear all bottlenecks without fail," said Naidu.

Officials briefed the Chief Minister on the progress made in the previous financial year, stating that 770 km of roads were completed under the purview of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), at a total cost of Rs 11,325 crore.

Andhra Pradesh currently boasts a network of 8,744 km of national highways. Of this, 4,406 km fall under the jurisdiction of NHAI, 641 km are managed by the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under MoRTH, and 3,697 km are maintained by the NH (R&B) wing.

Currently, 144 road projects, spanning a combined length of 3,483 km, are under construction across the state. These projects, undertaken by NHAI and MoRTH, represent an estimated outlay of Rs 76,856 crore. In addition, several more projects are in the pipeline and are expected to commence shortly.

Of the 3,483 km currently under development, 1,392 km are NHAI roads, while 2,091 km fall under the MoRTH portfolio. The Chief Minister's ambitious target for the current year, aiming for the completion of 1,040 km of road work with Rs 20,067 crore, is anticipated to significantly enhance road connectivity and overall infrastructure in the state.

Meanwhile, the "Mission Pothole-Free Roads," an initiative launched by the Chief Minister in November last year with an outlay of Rs 860.81 crore, has achieved remarkable progress, with 97 per cent completion as of June 6, officials said. A total of 19,475 km of roads have been repaired and potholes filled under this mission.