Naidu to launch "pothole free roads" mission today, aiming for completion by Sankranti

VIJAYAWADA: Minister for roads and buildings, B.C. Janardhan Reddy, announced that the state aims to achieve pothole-free roads by Sankranti. Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will formally launch the "Pothole Free Roads" mission on Saturday in the Gajapatinagaram constituency of Vizianagaram district. The initiative, which seeks to eliminate potholes across all roads in the state, will be executed in mission mode by 15 January 2025.

The state government has allocated Rs 290 crore and plans to release an additional Rs 220 crore from the State Disaster Management Fund. Following the launch, road repairs will commence simultaneously across all districts. Authorities will inspect the completed repairs and issue pothole-free road certificates to ensure quality.

Janardhan Reddy emphasised the importance of robust infrastructure to attract industries and investments. He noted that the R&B department has formed MOUs with institutions such as SRM University and IIT-Tirupati to adopt advanced road construction methods. The minister also highlighted the accelerated progress of national highway projects in the state, with 3,300 km currently under construction in collaboration with the central government.