Centre clears DPR for Errakatta bypass upgrade

Vijayawada: After nearly six decades, long-pending plans to modernise the historic Errakatta Bypass have gained fresh momentum, with the Centre approving preparation of a new Detailed Project Report (DPR) under the PM Gati Shakti scheme.Originally conceived between 1962 and 1964, the bypass was designed to cut through the rocky stretch near Indrakiladri, linking National Highway 9 (now NH-65) with National Highway 5 (now NH-16). The late engineer and MP Kanuri Lakshmana Rao played a pivotal role in reshaping Vijayawada's transport network during his tenure.Built as a two-lane road with three railway overbridges (ROBs), the Errakatta route connected Gollapudi to Kedareshwarapet via Chittinagar. But rapid urban expansion has rendered the six-decade-old infrastructure inadequate, with traffic snarls worsening during Dussehra and Bhavani Deeksha, disrupting connectivity between the old city and newer areas.Despite repeated promises, expansion proposals remained on paper until recently. Railway officials confirmed that DPR responsibilities for new ROBs were handed over to the Gati Shakti Unit on February 10, 2026, with design supervision underway.Last June, a review chaired by the District Collector prioritised the upgrade. A proposal was sent to construct three four-lane ROBs and strengthen connectivity between NH-65 and NH-16 along the Gollapudi Bypass. The Roads and Buildings Department prepared a DPR estimated at ₹375 crore, including a proposed tunnel near Gollapudi.The issue gained traction after Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw was approached by former Union Minister and Vijayawada West MLA Y. S. Chowdary. With DPR clearance now in motion, residents hope the long-standing traffic woes of Vijayawada's old city may finally see relief.