CM Naidu Eyes Cheaper Transit, EV Buses & Better Highways

Reviewing roads and highways at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister noted that the use of clean energy helps reduce operational costs and benefits the public. He said efficient solar power management has already reduced electricity procurement costs by about ₹1 per unit and called for further fuel cost optimization.

At present, the operational cost of EV buses stands at around ₹72 per km. He directed officials to explore models to bring down costs further, focusing on expanding charging infrastructure and standardizing battery systems. He also suggested a gradual transition of all categories of buses to AC electric buses and called for promoting e-cycles as a mass mobility option through public awareness.

The Chief Minister instructed officials to accelerate the construction and maintenance of national and state highways to boost economic activity. He stressed the importance of connecting highways to ports across the state and linking Andhra Pradesh with other regions of the country.

Highlighting road maintenance, he said that out of 45,433 km of roads in the state, about 10,238 km require annual upkeep. He directed that potholes be repaired immediately and urged officials to adopt national and international best practices while ensuring adequate funding for Roads & Buildings works.

Considering geographical challenges, particularly black cotton soil in the Godavari districts, he suggested adopting hybrid road construction models such as BT and white-topping. For canal-side roads prone to damage, he called for exploring innovative construction materials in collaboration with academic institutions.

With the upcoming Godavari Pushkarams in view, the Chief Minister directed that road repairs be taken up in Godavari, Krishna, and Guntur districts. In the Godavari region alone, 531 km of roads will be developed at a cost of ₹400 crore. He also instructed officials to seek special funds from the Centre on the lines of the Kumbh Mela.

Naidu underlined the need to connect all major ports—including Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Kakinada, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam, Krishnapatnam, and Mulapeta—with highway networks, noting that ports are key drivers of economic activity.

He called for the development of East–West corridors to reduce logistics costs, pointing out that nearly 73% of cargo is transported by road. Improved connectivity, he said, would accelerate industrial and horticultural growth and position Andhra Pradesh as a key economic hub.

The Chief Minister also highlighted the need for ring roads around major cities and mentioned key upcoming projects such as the Kharagpur–Amaravati Greenfield Highway, Hyderabad–Srisailam–Dornala Highway, and Kalwakurthy–Nandyal Highway. About 1,335 km of national highways are expected to be completed within two years, with projects worth ₹24,502 crore targeted for completion this year.

Ministers BC Janardhan Reddy and Mandipalli Ramprasad Reddy, along with senior officials including Transport Department Special Chief Secretary Krishna Babu and APSRTC MD Bala Subrahmanyam, attended the review meeting.