The central government has accorded administrative approvals for two road infrastructure projects, worth Rs 2,308.31 crore, for Andhra Pradesh under the Bharatmala project on Hybrid Annuity Mode.
This was announced by Union roads and highways minister Nitin Gadkari through a social media post.
The projects would involve construction, widening and upgradation of NH in Tirupati district, connecting Chillakuru cross to Turpu Kanupur and Naidupeta (Greenfields) to Turpu Kanupur village in Chillakur mandal.
A sum of Rs 909.47 crore has been sanctioned for construction of a four-lane access-controlled highway from Chillakuru Cross Road to Turpu Kanupur via Chintavaram, to a total length of 36.05 km. Administrative approval was accorded for release of Rs 1398.84 crore for the six-laning of the highway from Naidupeta (Greenfields) to Turpu Kanupur, a length of 34.881km.
‘The bidding process for construction of the four-lane highway between Chillakur cross and Turpu Kanupur has been completed. Now, the government aims to initiate the bidding process for the six-lane highway between Naidupeta-Turpu Kanupur. The completion date will be fixed later,’ Tirupati MP Dr. Gurumurthy told the Deccan Chronicle.
The MP said the construction of these two national highways will boost productivity and development in the industrially backward region besides creating new employment opportunities. ‘If roads are constructed connecting the proposed highways to the nearby beaches and Ennore port, tourism and industrial activities will pick up and this will help in improving the living conditions of the the coastal people,’ he said.
Meanwhile, the four-lane National Highway (NH) at a stretch of 113km, proposed in the Annamaiah and Tirupati districts, connecting Madanapalle to Tirupati via Piler and Kalur sections, is inching closer to reality.
The preliminary processes for the laying of the two sections – Madanapalle-Piler and Piler to Kalur (Tirupati rural) – on the NH-71 (formerly NH 205) have already been completed.
Tenders for the works have been invited by NHAI for the construction of a four-lane road from the Madanapalle to Pileru (55.90km) section in March, 2022 and the concession agreement was signed in June this year. The scheduled completion date is 24 months from the contracted date, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said while answering a question in Lok Sabha.
The minister said NHAI has completed 6.90 per cent of the physical work relating to the six-laning of the Renigunta-Naidupeta section of NH-71. The project would be completed by January 30, 2024.
NHAI also proposes to build 27.489km (LHS) and 28.965km (RHS) of service/slip road along the 57.065km stretch between Renigunta and Naidupeta.
