Visakhapatnam: Laying the foundation stones for eight national highway projects worth Rs 3,000 crore in Andhra Pradesh’s Rajamahendravaram, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said once completed, the national highways will provide green field road connectivity to the Kakinada SEZ, SEZ Port, Fishing Harbour and Kakinada Anchorage Port.
Addressing the crowd, Gadkari said, “The projects which will smoothen the export of rice, sea food, oil meals, iron-ore, bio-fuel, granite etc. through the Kakinada Port.”
Gadkari added, “The road projects include construction of five flyovers at Kaikaram, Morampudi, Undarajavaram, Tetali and Jonnada and after their completion, it would provide hassle-free and safe traffic movement for places like Namavaram, Satellite City, Mandapeta, Ramchandrapuram, Kakinada, Undarajavaram, Nidadavolu, Tanuku Town and Kaikaram. Special safety features will be ensured for the rectification of blackspots.”
The Union minister added, “The other three projects that include the 4-laning of the Vakalapudi-Uppada-Annavaram and the Samarlakota-Achampeta Junction and construction of a two-lane with paved shoulders from Rampachodavaram to Koyyuru will provide road connectivity to religious locations such as Samarlakota, Annavaram Bikkavolu, Ryali and Pithapuram.”
He further said it would also provide road connectivity to tribal areas such as Araku and Lambasinghi and important tourist destinations of Andhra Pradesh such as Arakku Valley and the Caves. “It would also provide safe, better and fast intra-state connectivity through Kakinada and Alluri Sitharama districts,” he added.
The event was also attended by Andhra Pradesh Roads and Buildings Minister Dadisetti Ramalingeswara Rao, BJP state president Somu Veer Raju, MPs, MLAs and senior officials.
