The Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Sh. T. R. Baalu today said that Andhra Pradesh is a major beneficiary of the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) and completion of the Project will result in 4-laning of nearly 40 per cent of the total National Highway length in Andhra Pradesh. He was addressing media persons after chairing a Review of the NHDP works in Andhra Pradesh with State Government and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, at Hyderabad today. Earlier in the day, the Minister laid the foundation stone for the work of widening of National Highway No. 202 from Km 9/0 to Km 18/740 (Hyderabad-Bhoopalapatnam Road) to a four-laned facility. The Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shri K.H.Muniyappa was the Guest of Honour and the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy presided over the function.
Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Baalu said that in view of the high density of traffic on NH 202 around Hyderabad city, the Government has taken up four-laning of this reach in a phased manner. “The Ministry has sanctioned 4-laning from Km 9/0 to Km 18/740 from Plan funds to provide relief to traffic. Four-laning of Km 18/740 to Km 30/0 is being considered in the current Annual Plan 2004-05. The four-laning work in Km 9/0 to Km 18/740 provides for widening of existing 2-lane road to a 4-laned divided carriageway with paved shoulders of 1.5m on either side of the carriageway. The project also involves reconstruction of 18 cross drainage works. The work has been awarded and is likely to be completed by August 2005. In the current year, on NH-202, the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways is also taking up widening to 2-lane of 27 Km length and reconstruction of 6 bridges at an estimated cost of Rs.27.00 crore. Beyond Km 247/0, alignment of NH 202 is to be fixed and a major bridge is required to be constructed for which detailed project report is being prepared”, he informed.
The Minister said that out of 65,569 Km total length of National Highways in the country, the length of National Highways in Andhra Pradesh today is 4,562 Km. “During the Tenth Five-Year Plan, three roads of Andhra Pradesh have been declared as National Highways with a total length of 470 Km. During the current year, there are plans to provide more than Rs.120 crore for development and maintenance of National Highways in Andhra Pradesh”, he said.
The Minister informed that in Andhra Pradesh, 1873 Km length of National Highways is being widened to 4/6 lanes by NHAI under the Golden Quadrilateral (Phase-I of NHDP) and North-South Corridor (Phase-II of NHDP) Projects. “Length under Golden Quadrilateral in the State is 1,016 km, out of which 648 km has been 4-laned and 368 km is under implementation under 16 contracts. The North-South Corridor covers a length of 762 km in the State out of which 39 km has been 4-laned, and civil works are in progress on 23 km. On the balance length of 700 km, pre-construction activities of detailed project report preparation, land acquisition etc. are in progress. Works covering a length of 12 km for port connectivity to Vishakhapatnam port are also in progress. The 4-laning work of 83 km long Nandigama to Vijaywada stretch has been completed”, he stated.
Sh. Baalu said that the Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways gives assistance to State Governments for improvements of State Highways and major district roads under the revamped Central Road Fund Scheme. “Under this scheme, the average accrual for the State of Andhra Pradesh is about Rs.79.14 crore per year. In Andhra Pradesh, 149 works costing to Rs.472.71 crore have been sanctioned under this scheme so far. 78 works have been completed, with expenditure to the tune of Rs.282.45 crore”, the Minister informed.
Sh. Baalu stated that to augment development in the road infrastructure, the Government has been encouraging private sector participation in this sector and has taken many initiatives which have been welcomed by the entrepreneurs. “While some of the projects have been completed, a number of projects are already being implemented under BOT/Annuity schemes. In Andhra Pradesh, the Ministry is taking up 4-laning from Km 493/0 to Km 524/0 of the Pune-Hyderabad Section of NH-9 under BOT arrangement”, the Minister said.
(Release ID :3761)