Guntur: In a big push to development of Palnadu district, works to upgrade the Guntur-Hyderabad highway from two lanes to four lanes have commenced. The Centre’s decision to grant national highway status to the connecting road between the two cities is likely to change its fortunes.The efforts of Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, Narsaraopet MP and TDP floor leader in the Lok Sabha, and his continuous follow-up with Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari, led the Centre to sanction Rs 881 crore to complete 49km-long highway.NHAIauthorities have completed the land acquisition process and finalized tenders for the big-ticket infrastructure project in the region. The widening of the NH is expected to boost growth in the surrounding areas of capital city Amaravati. The proposal to widen the state highway into a four-laned stretch has been pending for the past two decades. The state govt once agreed to take up the project following pressure from then assembly speaker and Sattenapalli legislator Kodela Sivaprasada Rao.However, works could not be taken up due to financial constraints. Subsequently, Krishna Devarayalu started his efforts to get it upgraded as a national highway to overcome the financial constraints. Initially, NHAI authorities turned down the proposal citing technical and financial reasons. However, the MP met Gadkari and explained to him the need to take up the project which has become an accident-prone zone. Convinced with the arguments placed by the MP, Gadkari gave the green signal to take up the project with complete financial assistance from the Centre.Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony, Krishna Devarayalu expressed his joy over getting clearances for the Kondamodu-Peracharla road (Guntur-Hyderabad) as a national highway following persistent lobbying with the Centre. He said he leveraged a clause in the AP Reorganisation Act, emphasizing the Centre’s support to provide connectivity between the old and new capital cities of Andhra Pradesh to get Gadkari’s nod for the project. “The frequent fatal accidents also moved Gadkari to grant the project. Development of the highway into NH would pave way for industrial development of the region. National highways spanning nearly 250 kilometres are being constructed in Narasaraopet parliamentary constituency at a cost of 5,000 crore, connecting every mandal — a development unmatched in any other parliamentary constituency,” he said. He also mentioned the state govt’s commitment to complete a project to bring Godavari waters to Sagar right canal and establish a 1,200 crore water grid to supply water to every household. Legislators Kanna Lakshminarayana, Yarapathineni Srinivasa Rao, and Bhashyam Praveen were also present.
