Andhra Pradesh seeks faster approval for national highway projects

Vijayawada: Roads and buildings minister B C Janardhan Reddy urged the Union ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH) to expedite approvals and execution of key National Highway (NH) projects in Andhra Pradesh, saying coordinated efforts between the NDA govt at the Centre and the coalition govt in the state were helping accelerate highway development.The minister called on MoRTH secretary Umashankar T in New Delhi along with R&B special chief secretary M T Krishnababu and sought early clearances for new proposals and speedy resolution of pending issues related to land acquisition, forest permissions and revenue disputes. He later presented a Tirumala Venkateswara Swamy idol to the Secretary and requested continued support for NH expansion in the state.Janardhan Reddy said Andhra Pradesh had set up a dedicated task force — unlike anywhere else in the country — to fast-track resolution of bottlenecks affecting NH projects and ensure time-bound execution. He sought approval for widening the two-lane road at Banaganapalle in Nandyal district to four lanes at an estimated cost of Rs 60 crore.The minister asked MoRTH to hasten sanctions and implementation of major NH projects during 2025-26. Key projects flagged included four-laning of Akiveedu-Digamarru on NH-165, Amalapuram-Ravulapalem stretch on NH-216, Pedana-Lakshmipuram on NH-216H, and Mudigubba-Kadiri on NH-42. He also sought upgrades on NH-365BB, NH-716 and NH-544D, construction of a four-lane tunnel on the Kadapa-Rayachoti section of NH-40, and development of the Chittoor bypass.The MoRTH secretary responded positively to the proposals and assured support on pending approvals. Janardhan Reddy said the projects would ease traffic, improve connectivity and spur regional development.AP Bhavan resident commissioner Praveen Kumar, MoRTH regional officer Harikrishna and senior officials attended the meeting.