AP gets smooth road connectivity

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh is all set to have a smooth ride with an efficient road connectivity soon. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who laid foundation stone on Thursday for 51 projects at a cost of Rs 21,000 crore also sanctioned, on the spot, East Bypass to Vijayawada city at the request of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Besides, 30 Road over Bridges (RoBs) to reduce traffic congestion. He also promised to spend Rs 3 lakh crore on road development in the State by 2024.

The Union Minister had earlier inaugurated the second fly-over at the Benz Circle.

Speaking at the function, Nitin Gadkari termed Andhra Pradesh as a progressive State with a good potential for development. He said better road connectivity would boost industrial activity and developmental programmes.

The Chief Minister, at the main function held at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, said that it was a great day for the State as foundation was laid for 30 projects to provide 735-km length of roads at a cost of Rs 10,368 crore and works worth Rs 11,191 crore (21 projects) amounting to 645 km were inaugurated.

The Chief Minister said the State had requested the Centre in August 2019 for the Western bypass flyover 2 at Benz Circle and was immediately granted. Even the Kanaka Durga flyover, which was completed with the help of Nitin Gadkari faster, he said after his government came to power.

Stating that expansion and development of highways had been a priority, he said, the State has allocated Rs 10,600 crore for the state highways. Rs 6,400 crore had been allocated for connecting the district headquarters to mandals through two-lane highways and Rs 2,300 crore for repair and maintenance and Rs 1,700 crore for the pending works.

The Union Minister called the CM "young and dynamic" who was taking the State forward and described the State a progressive one and the two main ports would generate employment and revenue to the State and connectivity to play a vital role for which the Centre would extend all help.

Of the 23 Greenfield express highway, the Ministry had taken up six in Andhra Pradesh which include the Raipur- Visakhapatnam (465 km) which would be completed by 2024, Nagpur to Vijayawada highway, by 2025, Chittoor- Thanjavur highway, Hyderabad- Visakhapatnam and Bengaluru- Chennai highway which runs through 85 km in AP, before 2025.

He referred to the Polavaram project as a subject close to his heart and said he wanted to see its early completion.

The Chief Minister had also requested for a six-lane connectivity of Visakhapatnam port to Bhogapuram and converting a few state highways into national highways. Development of six-lane port connectivity coastal road connecting Visakhapatnam port to NH16 at Bhogapuram via Rishikonda and Bheemili.

The other proposals include converting state highways into national highways in Kadapa, Prakasam, Chittoor, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts. The state highways went up in the State from 4,193 km in 2014 to 8,163 km registering a growth of over 95 per cent.

Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said Speaking said that Alluri Sitarama Raju museum will be set up at Visakhapatnam on the occasion of 125th birth anniversary celebrations of the revolutionary who fought the British.