Hyderabad-Vijayawada 4-lane project cleared

Hyderabad: The Public-Private Partnership Approval Committee at the Centre has cleared the proposal for the Rs 1,300-crore Hyderabad-Vijayawada four-lane project that covers an 181-km stretch.

Of the Rs 1,300 crore, Rs 1,170 crore comprises the project cost and Rs 130 crore has been earmarked for land acquisition. This project is likely to be further extended to cover another 63-km stretch between Vijayawada and Machilipatnam.

The Union Minister for Urban Development, Dr S. Jaipal Reddy, said that the Cabinet Sub-Committee for Economic Affairs (CCEA) is likely to approve the project within a couple of weeks, thereby paving the way for invitation of bids.

The project would be completed in 24-30 months and later expanded to a six-lane road.

Therefore, land acquisition to facilitate six-lane road would be taken up concurrently, he said. Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Dr Reddy said that the 181-km stretch would link up the 40-km four-lane stretch between Hyderabad and Malkapuram and 54 km between Vijayawada and Nandigama and thereby complete the total stretch of 275 km. The 181-km road stretch will also have six bypass roads at Narketpally, Nakrekal, Akupamula, Kodad, Sheikmohammadpet and Nawabpet. The Ministry for Environment and Forests cleared the project in May 2007 and the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition has been appointed and the process initiated, he said.

Since road projects in Andhra Pradesh have not been covered under the Golden Quadrilateral, North-South and East-West Corridors, the State had proposed strengthening several roads and upgrading them.