Union minister Gadkari to lay stone for flyover at Morampudi

KAKINADA: After a long wait, the construction of a flyover at Morampudi junction in Rajamahendravaram of East Godavari will begin on September 22. Union Minister for National Highways Nitin Gadkari will lay the foundation stone and the works will be done at a cost of Rs 56.09 crore, over a length of 1.42 km.

The Morampudi junction is a dangerous cross on the highway. The residents and the people from Kesavaram, Punyakshetram, Namavaram, Hukumpeta, Bommuru, the Gadalamma Vegetable market going to Rajamahendravaram have to cross the bridge through the NH. There have been many accidents in the area.

According to police records, 76 people died in the accidents in the area in the past three years.

During the Telugu Desam rule, then the Union minister had, in virtual mode, laid the stone for construction of the fly-over, when cine actor Murali Mohan was the MP of Rajamahendravaram.  Later, a central technical team inspected the area and decided that there was no need for a fly-over.

Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha member Margani Bharat said “Morampudi Junction is the most dangerous death zone in the country” and he had submitted the facts and identified 196 black-spots in the area. Some 196 accidents occurred there in three years, he has informed the central government.

After studying the report, the Union Ministry of National Highways expressed its readiness to construct the fly-over.

When chief minister Jagan Reddy visited New Delhi recently, he met Gadkari and stressed the need for the flyover. Five more fly-over bridges from Rajanagaram to Rajamahendravaram NH are in progress, the MP said.