After much dilly-dallying since the collapse of four girders of the under-construction flyover at Gunadala, the works have finally resumed a few days ago. Thanks to initiative taken up by the Krishna district administration, in coordination with the other departments concerned, the contractor has began the works that came to a halt after the girders collapsed in December 2013.
The 750-metre-long flyover with four lanes is being constructed as part of the Inner Ring Road (IRR) project in the city at an estimated cost of over Rs.23 crore and works would be completed within six months, said an official. The works were resumed after different committees constituted to probe the incident completed the inquiry and submitted the report.
The erstwhile Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali, Mangalagiri Urban Development Authority (VGTM-UDA), which has been rechristened as the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) has taken up the project to connect Hyderabad-Vijayawada highway with Chennai-Kolkata National Highway (NH5).
According to officials, motorists going to Visakhapatnam and Kolkata from Hyderabad could be diverted at Gollapudi ‘Y’ junction and proceed through the Milk Powder Factory, Ajithsingh Nagar, Gunadala and reach Subam function hall on Ramavarappadu Ring Road where a junction will be developed to connect the stretch with NH5.
“Vehicular traffic on the ever-busy Krishnalanka stretch and Benz Circle can be reduced, once the project is completed,” an official said.
He explained that the vehicles proceeding towards Visakhapatnam and Kolkata from Hyderabad could be diverted through the inner ring road without entering the city, at Gollapudi, Kummaripalem, Krishnalanka and Benz Circle where traffic moves at a snail’s pace during peak hours.
The project assumes significance at a time when the government is planning to construct a flyover near Sri Kanaka Durga temple, according to officials. The inner ring road would pave the way for diverting vehicles going towards Visakhapatnam and Kolkata, if the government plans to construct the flyover near the temple. “We are leaving no stone unturned to complete the inner ring road flyover works at the earliest,” the official added.
