VIJAYAWADA: The state government has decided to develop new roads at a cost of Rs 6,400 crore with financial support from New Development Bank in the state.
This was announced by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy at a high-level review meeting on roads, seaports and airports with ministers and senior officials here on Monday.
The officials briefed him about the action plan to develop new roads, mainly the two-lane roads connecting mandal and district headquarters. They appraised about the progress of the ongoing national highway projects and the proposed new roads. They said that Vijayawada-Bengaluru via Kodikonda check-post was put on fast-track while Sheelanagar-Sabbavaram national highway in Visakhapatnam and Anakapalli to Anandapuram road via Visakhapatnam were ready for construction.
Reddy directed the officials to coordinate with NHAI authorities to take up laying such roads. He said that repairing damaged roads was the priority as the intensity of rains would subside by October. He slammed the previous Telugu Desam regime for ignoring repair and development of roads.
The Chief Minister said “Since assuming office, we have been witnessing good rainfall every year, much to the delight of farmers. However, as some stretches of roads were damaged due to rains we are paying attention to repair them and mobilising funds for the purpose. Former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu is unable to digest the fact that he is not in the CM’s chair and is on misinformation campaigns on every issue. Despite the odds, we will go ahead with our work.”
He asked officials to call tenders for road repair and development works in case tenders were not yet called and take up works once rains subside. He called for an action plan to take up approaching roads to the bridges.
On seaports, the officials said that construction of Ramayapatnam port would be completed in 24 months and said that in the first phase, 25 million tonnes of cargo would be transported and there would be four berths. With regard to Bhavanapadu port, the tender process for taking up port works would be composted by October-end and said that for phase-1, Rs 2,956 crore would be spent. As regards Machilipatnam port, they informed that by September 14, tender process for construction of the port would be completed and said that in phase-1, nearly 35 million tonnes of cargo would be transported. The estimated cost for construction would be Rs 3,650 crore.
Reddy insisted on road and rail connectivity to Kakinada SEZ Gateway port, given its vast potential for industrial development, besides having provision for free trade warehousing in port areas.
As regards the nine fishing harbours coming up in the state, under the phase-1, four fishing harbours would be built at Uppada, Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam and Juvveladinne and complete the works by June.
Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials to expedite construction of Bhogapuram airport by resolving cases and called for efforts to develop other airports by attending to pending issues. He felt the need to take steps to facilitate more flight services from Kurnool and Kadapa to Visakhapatnam and called for efforts to get international connectivity for Visakhapatnam and Tirupati airports.
