Andhra Pradesh: Poor condition of Kurnool-Ballari road irks commuters

Kurnool: Despite the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) proposal for a six-lane main carriageway between Devanahalli and the Andhra Pradesh border of NH-44, there is no such facility from Kurnool to Ballari. This important road was damaged by heavy rains in 2019, and its condition remains poor.

Many sections between Kurnool and Ballari were damaged by torrential rains five years ago, with breaches to causeways and bridges due to overflowing local tanks and rivulets at more than 20 locations. Areas such as Alur, Holagunda, Halaharvi, and others experienced heavy rains, severely damaging the Adoni-Bellary, Alur-Bellary, and Siriguppa-Adoni stretches. Although these stretches were temporarily restored, their current condition still poses a major problem for commuters.

Karnataka has proposed widening the Ballari Road stretch from Devanahalli to the AP border of NH-44 into a 10-lane road, featuring a six-lane main carriageway and two-lane service roads on either side. This widened road will connect to the Satellite Town Ring Road, facilitating a link to the proposed Bengaluru-Chennai expressway, enhancing convenience for commuters.

The NHAI has undertaken the upgradation of the road from Devanahalli to Kurnool. The proposed road in Karnataka will offer good connectivity between bordering AP and Kempegowda International Airport. The total length of the stretch between Devanahalli and Kurnool is 340 km, with 72 km falling within Karnataka between Devanahalli and the AP border. The remaining 270 km of the road should be developed by the AP Government to improve comfort for commuters.

"The state government must pressure the Centre to undertake the construction of a highway between Kurnool and Ballari to facilitate travel. The NHAI already has plans to extend the highway, and this should be pursued with political will. Otherwise, commuters will continue to face difficulties," said an NHAI official.

Recently, Kurnool MP B. Nagaraju met the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, and requested the sanctioning of a highway between Kurnool and Ballari. This request now awaits materialization following the formation of the new alliance-led government in the state.