Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed officials to fast-track land acquisition for the northern segment of the Regional Ring Road (RRR) and ensure its timely completion.
Stressing the importance of fair treatment for farmers, he instructed district collectors to adopt a generous approach in compensating landowners to facilitate smooth acquisition.
During a high-level review meeting held at Secretariat here on Friday, he stressed the importance of collaboration between local representatives and farmers to overcome delays in land acquisition. He also called for alignment of RRR (south) with HMDA’s plans, following the in-principle approval from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The Chief Minister expressed concern over the lack of underpasses on national highways, which hinder farmers’ access to agricultural fields. He ordered the roads and buildings (R&B) department to construct underpasses during the highway construction phase to avoid inconvenience.
To ensure seamless connectivity between the Outer Ring Road (ORR) and the RRR, he called for utilisation of government land for radial roads, highlighting the need for uninterrupted development of 11 key roads connecting Hyderabad.
Reddy also addressed challenges in acquiring forest clearances for highways like Nagpur-Vijayawada (NH-163G), Armoor-Jagtial-Mancherial (NH-63), and Jagtial-Karimnagar (NH-563), which pass through multiple districts. He urged the forest and R&B departments to work in coordination and resolve issues promptly.
He tasked the chief secretary A. Santhi Kumari with monitoring progress every 10 days and suggested that state ministers approach the Union government if necessary to expedite clearances. A dedicated officer from the forest and R&B departments will oversee these efforts.
Highlighting the Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM), Reddy announced plans to develop 12,000 km of roads through the R&B department and another 17,700 km via the panchayat raj department. Both departments are to ensure consistent quality and complete the projects within three years.
The Chief Minister ordered immediate repairs for flood-damaged roads and bridges, urging the finance department to release state funds and secure matching grants from the central government.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, along with ministers and senior officials, participated in the review meeting.
Reddy stressed coordinated efforts across departments to meet infrastructure goals and ensure that the public benefits from the state’s road network expansion.
