Vijayawada: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that road works of Rs 3,000 crore will be undertaken in Andhra Pradesh.
These include six greenfield express highways including the Rayapur-Visakhapatnam greenfield express highway, which will be completed by 2024.
Gadkari announced sanctioning of the Vijayawada Eastern Bypass ring road on a request from Chief Minister Jagan and said he would visit Polavaram after completion of the project.
The Union minister stressed the need for reducing petrol and diesel use and instead use of green hydrogen for environment protection.
Describing Andhra Pradesh as a progressive state with high potential for development, Gadkari conceded to the request of the chief and sanctioned the East bypass to Vijayawada city as also 30 Road Over Bridges.
Gadkari and Jagan inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 51 projects at a cost of over Rs 21,000 crore besides the Western bypass flyover II at Benz Circle.
The Union minister laid emphasis on development of infrastructure and improved road connectivity for the growth of industry and agriculture besides extending all help from the Centre in the development process.
Gadkari was all praise for the chief minister and called him a young and dynamic leader taking the state forward. He described AP a progressive state and said the two main ports would generate employment and revenue to the state.
Connectivity plays a vital role, for which the Centre would extend all help, the Union minister said.
The minister has promised AP that between now and 2024, the Centre would spend three lakh crore for development of roads in the state. Of the 23 greenfield express highways, the ministry has taken up six that passes through Andhra Pradesh.
These include the Raipur-Visakhapatnam (465 km) that will be completed by 2024, the Nagpur to Vijayawada highway to be ready by 2025, the Chittoor-Tanjavur highway, the Hyderabad Visakhapatnam highway, the Bangalore Chennai highway which runs through 85 km in AP, all of which will be ready before 2025.
Transportation expenses, he said, can be reduced with good connectivity and roads hence the Union Government is keen on the modernizations of roads.
Transport cost is less in India compared to China, he said, and added that the government is promoting electric vehicles to reduce use of petrol and diesel.
Gadkari said though he was not the minister for water resources, he was very touchy about Polavaram and likes to see the project completed fast. He said that as a farmer, he knew the difficulties of the farming community due to shortage of irrigation water and is hence seeking swift completion of the Polavaram project.
