KCR seeks to tweak RRR plan

New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday called on Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and requested some modifications to the proposed expressway since it has to pass through irrigation projects and developmental areas. The 340-km stretch proposed expressway which is planned around Greater Hyderabad is also called the Regional Ring Road (RRR).

During the 30-minute interaction, KCR discussed the pending road development issues with the Union Minister. KCR said that the alignment of the RRR was done in 2018. During the past three years, certain developmental works like Gajwel Ring Road, Baswapur reservoir under the Kaleshwaram lift scheme were taken up. This had led to some problems in road works for the RRR. Hence, he requested the Minister to consider modifications to the expressway and approve the 182-km stretch of expressway connecting Choutuppal, Shadnagar and Sangareddy.

He said the expressway would help to improve the road connecting the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

KCR also urged the Centre to clear all the pending National Highways development projects, including the taking up of the proposed 6-lane highway on NH 65 between Hyderabad and Vijayawada and the 340-km long expressway around Hyderabad city.

He brought to the notice of Gadkari the urgent need to take up the 6-lane project of the NH 65 in view of increasing vehicular traffic. The present traffic on this highway is more than 40,000 passenger car units (PCUs) per day. Since the highway is a vital link between the two capitals of the Telugu States, KCR urged for speedy completion of it. The Centre has proposed to complete the project by April 2024.

The CM informed the Union Minister that road development works in Telangana were cleared under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) with an outlay of Rs 744 crore. He requested Gadkari to sanction the pending CRIF proposals and increase the allocations.

In another representation, KCR informed the Union Minister the importance of taking up the newly announced NH 167 from Kalwakurthy to Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh and a new bridge across River Krishna at Somasila to reduce the distance between Hyderabad, Tirupati and Chennai by 80 km. The other issues brought to the notice of the Union Minister were – upgradation of state highways between – Karimnagar- Sircilla- Kamareddy- Yellareddy – Pitlam, Zaheerabad- Bidar - Deglur, Kothakota – Gudur up to Manthrayalam.