The four-laning of the Kadapa-Kurnool section of National Highway -18 (new NH-40) has been put on track following the Prime Minister’s Pro-Active Governance for Active and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI) launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The project was taken up under the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) mode under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase III in 2010. However, the project came to a grinding halt in 2013 as banks stopped disbursing funds, while concessionaire failed to bring in extra equity. The project was expected to be completed by May 12, 2013.
Meanwhile, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials said the project was on the brink of becoming NPA. But, things began moving in the right direction soon after the project was identified by the Centre under the PRAGATI. Incidentally, the Kadapa-Kurnool section was one of the 20 badly delayed NH projects across the country.
The Rs. 1,585-crore project connects Kadapa, an industrial and mining district, and Tirupati with Telangana, Maharashtra and the rest of India through the North-South Corridor. The road meets the North-South corridor at Kurnool. M/s. Rayalaseema Expressways Private Limited is executing the project, and the appointed date was November, 2010 with a construction period of 910 days.
When contacted, NHAI Project Director G. Sreedhar said high level interventions by the State government helped in resolving long-pending land acquisition issues. Board level decisions in the NHAI were taken to take the project to a logical conclusion. This helped investors bring in extra equity and works resumed. A substantial section of the road has been completed. Cash flows from partial tolling and funds through equity are expected to fund the completion of the project by August 1, he said.
