AMN /
Vijayawada: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari today announced Rs 50,000 crores new road projects for Andhra Pradesh.
He announced this after lying the foundation stone for three projects worth almost Rs 2,500 crore in the capital region of Andhra Pradesh.
Gadkari said that he was confident that with the Centre’s cooperation, Andhra Pradesh under the able leadership of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu would become one of the top 5 progressed States in the country.
He assured on behalf of the Centre that the construction of 180-km outer ring road in Vijayawada will be taken up at a cost of Rs. 20,000 crore and said new roads for national highways extending to 1350-km would be developed in Andhra Pradesh commencing from December 2016 onwards.
The four-lanning road project between Vijayawada-Machilipatnam also includes Benz Circle flyover being taken up by the National Highways Authority of India at a total capital cost of Rs. 1462.32 crores under National Highways Development Programme. Among the new projects for which he laid foundation stone also include Vijayawada-Bhaadrachalam-Jagadalpur national highway.
The Union Minister asked Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu to come to Delhi with detailed projects reports and land acquisition report for the newly announced projects.
He also asked the Chief Minister to allow the center to share fifty per cent in the proposed Bhavanapadu port and the state would be given about 25-30 per cent of revenue from it. He agreed that the ports under public sector earn more profits instead of private ports in the country. He said that the government is mulling to bring new Motor Vehicle Act to remove the loop holes in issuing driving licenses and to establish a driving school in all assembly constituencies. He expressed dissatisfaction on the issuing of driving licenses and said about 20 per cent of driving licenses are fake and those license holders are responsible for more accidents. He said that his aim is to contribute 2 per cent of GDP from his ministry and said that all 15 organisations under his ministry earned Rs 6,000 crores.
Addressing the public meeting Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said the Andhra Pradesh is on the path of development and the State is destined to progress and strengthened. He said the world is looking towards India and several MNCs are coming forward to invest in the country seeing the able leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Once the project is materialised a four-lane connectivity between Vijayawada-Machilipatnam would be established paving the way for development of industrial growth around Machilipatnam saving time and fuel besides ensuring safety and comfort for the commuters. The four-lane highway will pass through 36 villages in 8 mandals in Krishna district.