The city and its surrounding areas are witnessing something that has been long due — development of infrastructure.
Thanks to the zealous endeavour of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu to equip Vijayawada city and its surrounding areas with all the frills of a metropolitan city, development proposals pending for decades are finally being executed.
With focus on the development of roads, flyovers, education facilities, hospitals and other civic projects to usher in higher standards of living, the city seems set for a makeover.
“At the moment, projects worth Rs. 5,000 crore are in various stages of execution in different sectors in Vijayawada city alone,” informs local MP Kesineni Srinivas (Nani).
Kanaka Durga flyover
After a prolonged delay, the Kanaka Durga flyover project has finally taken off and works are on in full swing to complete it by Pushkarams.
The six-lane flyover, being built at a cost of Rs. 447 crore, starts at Kummaripalem and ends at the Rajiv Gandhi Municipal Park. Completion of the flyover by Pushkarams in August is crucial since heavy influx of pilgrims from across the country will choke the route.
Road project
The ongoing construction of the Rs. 500-crore Ibrahimpatnam to Jagadalpur National Highway (NH 221) is yet another project benefiting this region.
The local authorities are acquiring 60 acres for the stretch that passes through Krishna district.
The total length of this highway is 137.26 km (85.29 mi). It starts at the junction of NH 9 in Vijayawada and ends at the junction of NH 16 at Jagdalpur.
Flyover at Benz Circle
Works for the proposed flyover at Benz Circle will commence after the Pushkarams. The Rs. 1100- crore project was initially proposed to be a 162-metre-long flyover from Skew Bridge to the Nirmala Convent junction. But later, the Centre agreed to the MP’s plea to extend it till the Ramesh Hospital junction on National Highway 16. The MP’s contention is that if the length of the flyover is increased to 820 metres, the project will cover one more junction, solving the traffic problem in the extended area as well.
Storm water drains
In yet another major boost to infrastructure development, the Centre has sanctioned Rs. 480 crore for the construction of storm water drainage system in the city. It is a one-time special financial assistance extended by the Union Government. The State government will spend its share of Rs. 1 crore in the total project cost.
The Centre has sanctioned Rs. 120 crore for the construction of a super speciality hospital, while the State will spend Rs. 30 crore on the project. “Funds to the tune of Rs. 750 crore have been spent on the expansion of the Vijayawada airport while more funds are to flow for upgradation of the project,” says the MP.
