Visakhapatnam: The crucial expansion plan for Anandapuram-Anakapalle highway Via Sabbavaram highway in Vizag district is facing obstacles due to delay in land acquisition and it is questioning the future of the project. As per the estimates, over 380 hectares land is required for the highway project and some locals have demanded more compensation while a few others are reluctant to give their land for the project.
Sources said that Detailed Project Report for the highway has already been prepared. The Anakapalle-Sabbavaram-Pendurthi road will be a six-lane road and the Sheelanagar-Sabbavaram four-lane is also part of it. The two roads together come to a total of around 64 km and the estimated cost is Rs 2,390 crore.
As per the DPR, about 380 hectares of land is required for the highway and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will pay for it. The only hurdle for the project is the land acquisition. NHAI will invite tendering process for the project once the land acquisition is complete, says project director of NHAI-Visakhapatnam, A. Srinivasa Rao.
In a seminar on urban transport corridors held in Vizag, some officials of the NHAI said that the development of Ananda-puram-Anakapalle highway will be taken up on Hybrid Annuity Model and the project is supposed to complete in two-and-a-half years.
ADCP (Traffic) K.M. Patrudu and deputy transport commissioner, Vizag, S. Venkateswara Rao said that the entire stretch of NH-16 in Andhra Pradesh (from Nellore to Srikakulam) is around 990 km. But, 20 to 25 per cent of fatal accidents have been reported on the 73 km NH-16 stretch (Lankelapalem to Anand-apuram) that passes through Vizag police commissionerate only due to heavy vehicular traffic.
If the Anandapuram-Anakapalle highway is completed, the traffic congestion on NH-16 stretch in Vizag city will be reduced and road accidents also will decrease as some vehicle will be diverted on the highway, they added.
