At a click of button, Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu laid foundation stone for the much- awaited Inland Waterway project and dedicated 13 National Highway (NH) projects to the nation here on Tuesday. The cost of these projects is ₹4,153 crore.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President said the Union government was taking many initiatives such as improving road connectivity, ports and other infrastructural facilities and inland waterways for the development of Andhra Pradesh. “If required, I will intervene to help AP.”
The State government was also designing and implementing projects that would be helpful for future generations. Polavaram, inter-linking of rivers Godavari and Krishna, was a step in that direction. All political parties should join hands for the development of the State irrespective of their ideologies. Constructive criticism and concerted efforts were the need of the hour, he said.
“The Centre is also helping the State in all aspects. The State and the Centre should also work together to realise the set targets. Polavaram would not have been a reality had the Centre merged seven mandals of Telangana State with Andhra Pradesh in 2014,” he said. “Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is visiting the project site today. I also wanted to go there. But I will visit the Polavaram project at the time of its completion.”
Earlier, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu requested Mr. Gadkari to help AP in completing the Polavaram project before the general elections.
He also wanted the Centre to bear some portion of the land acquisition cost relating to the Amaravati-Anantapur express way, and hasten the Outer Ring Road (ORR) project promised for Amaravati Capital city.
The projects that were dedicated to the nation include the two-lane Chandragudem to AP/Telangana border section (NH-30, cost ₹201.12 crore) with paved shoulders; two-lane Anantapur to Mudigubba mandal town (NH-42 cost ₹72.94 crore); two-lane Davulapalli to Markapuram (NH-565, ₹170.21 crore); two-lane Vagampalle to Dornala T Junction (NH-565 ₹258.99 crore); two-lane Mydukuru to Dornala T junction (NH-67, ₹241.61 crore); two-lane Dornala T junction to Atmakur (NH-67, ₹251.55 crore); and the two-lane Markapuram to Vagampalle section (NH-565, ₹471.61 crore).
The foundation stones laid for projects are — two-lane Rayachoti to Angallu (NH-340, ₹319 crore); four-lane bypass to Vijayanagaram twon (NH-26, ₹429.43 crore); two-lane Machilipatnam to Avanigadda section (NH-216, ₹376.25 crore); two-lane Pasarlapudi to Dindi section (NH- 216, ₹263.45 crore); two-lane road Repalle to Eeppurupalem section (NH-216, 576.48 crore). A foundation stone for inland waterway No. 4 was also laid.
