Vijayawada: Andhra to open one side of Kaja- Gollapudi West Bypass to ease Sankranti traffic rush

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh government has decided to open one side of the Kaja-Gollapudi West Bypass to ease the Sankranti traffic rush.

The stretch is being readied to ease congestion and provide smoother connectivity for commuters during the festive season.

The West Bypass project includes a 17.88-km six-lane highway between Kaja and Gollapudi, and a 30-km stretch between Gollapudi and Chinna Autapalli. Construction of the Gollapudi–Chinna Autapalli section has been completed, and vehicles have been permitted to use the stretch since November.

Officials said one side of the Kaja–Gollapudi stretch is now being prepared for traffic movement during Sankranti. Additionally, one side of the connecting road linking the Chennai–Kolkata National Highway to the West Bypass has been completed. This will enable vehicles coming from Chennai, Ongole, and Guntur to enter the bypass near Kaja and proceed up to Gollapudi, from where they can join the Vijayawada–Hyderabad highway.

Vehicles can reach Eluru via Chinna Autapalli :

Vehicles heading towards Eluru can directly reach Eluru Road via Chinna Autapalli without exiting at Gollapudi. This arrangement will allow vehicles, especially from Guntur, to travel towards Hyderabad or Eluru using the bypass without entering Vijayawada city limits. Authorities are working to complete the remaining arrangements before Sankranti.

At present, cars, two-wheelers, and other vehicles coming from Eluru and Gollapudi via the West Bypass are being allowed to proceed towards the State Secretariat and High Court. After crossing the Krishna River Bridge and Seed Access Road, these vehicles reach the Mangalagiri–Mandadam Road near the toll plaza and continue towards the Secretariat.

Officials said work on the other side of the bypass, enabling vehicles from Gollapudi to reach Highland Road, will be completed by the end of this month. Vehicles entering Highland Road from the West Bypass will merge onto the service road of the Chennai–Kolkata Highway.

Pending works to be completed by March :

All pending works on the West Bypass are expected to be completed by the end of March. From April 1, vehicles on the Chennai–Kolkata Highway will be allowed to ply fully in both directions through the West Bypass. The bypass will be officially inaugurated from that date. Until then, light vehicles will be allowed on an experimental basis.

Lighting arrangements will also be installed along the Krishna River stretch on the bypass, as well as on both sides of the bridges across the Palavagu and Kondaveeti ravines and at other underpasses.