Amaravati-Anantapur highway to cost Rs 27,635 crore
Highway to avoid important sites, cuts short travel time by 2 hours.
Vijayawada: For the construction of 598.78-km access contro-lled (green field) expressway with 4/6 lane road connecting Andhra Pradesh’s new capital city Amaravati to Anantapur with connectivity to Kurnool and Kadapa, the cost has been estimated to be Rs 27,635 crore.
The state government has proposed that this road will be designed for a speed of 120 kmph with straight alignments, avoiding habitations and locations of archaeological and religious importance. Tunnels and viaducts are proposed to be constructed to negotiate hilly terrains and valley sections.
The state government has submitted techno-economic feasibility study report and detailed project report (DPR) to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) for its approval.
According to the DPR, 26,890 acres of land, including 1,518.75 hectares of forest land, is required.
After the construction of this expressway, the existing road length from Anantapur to Amaravati (472 km) will be reduced by 101 km.
Similarly, the existing road length from Kadapa to Amaravati will be reduced from 370 km to 297 km, and from Kurnool to Amaravati it will lessen from 311 km to 283 km.
The travel time at the present speed of 60 kmph will be reduced by 120 minutes between Anantapur and Amaravati, from Kadapa to Amaravati 70 minutes and from Kurnool to Amaravati 40 minutes.
The total length of proposed expressway from Anantapur to Amaravati is 371.030 km, Kurnool feeder connectivity is 123.700 km and Kadapa feeder connectivity is 104.050 km. In the total 598.78-km length expressway, the length of four-lane road is 178 km.
Similarly, the length of six-lane road is between Anantapur and Amaravati is 193.030 km.
According to DPR, that the cost of civil works for six-lane road is Rs 8,372.55 crore and the cost of civil works for four-lane road between Anantapur and Amaravati is Rs 5,434.40 crore, for Kurnool feeder connectivity Rs 3,809.50 crore and to Kadapa feeder connectivity is Rs 2,968.35 crore.
The cost of civil works for tunnels is Rs 5,040 crore and the total cost will be Rs 27,635.60 crore.