Gadkari sanctions East bypass for Vijayawada, Centre to spend Rs. 3L Cr to develop AP roads

The Union minister on Thursday inaugurated the Western bypass at Benz Circle and along with Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy and minister Kishan Reddy went for the first drive over the flyover.

Mr. Gadkari emphasised on the development of infrastructure and improved road connectivity for the growth of industry and agriculture. He laid the foundation stone for 30 projects, running into 735 km, with an estimated cost of Rs. 10, 368 crore and inaugurated 21 projects, measuring 645 km, with a cost of Rs. 11,191 crore.

Jagan said the state had requested the Centre in August 2019 for the Western bypass flyover 2 at Benz Circle and it was immediately granted. Stating that the expansion and development of highways have been a priority, the CM said the state has allocated Rs. 10,600 crore for state highways, Rs. 6,400 crore for connecting the district headquarters to mandals through two-lane highways, Rs. 2,300 crore for repair and maintenance, and Rs. 1,700 crore for the pending works.

The Union minister has assured that by 2024 the Centre will spend Rs. 3 lakh crore for the development of roads in the state. Of the 23 Greenfield express highway the ministry has taken up, six come under Andhra Pradesh which include the Raipur-Visakhapatnam (465 km) which will be completed by 2024, Nagpur-Vijayawada highway which will be completed by 2025, Chittoor-Tanjavur highway, Hyderabad-Visakhapatnam and Bangalore-Chennai highway which also runs through AP. All are to be completed before 2025.

The Chief Minister has also requested for a six-lane road connecting Visakhapatnam port to Bhogapuram and converting a few state highways into national highways and the development of the six-lane coastal road connecting Visakhapatnam port to NH-16 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%, Jagan added.