4000-km Andhra Pradesh highways to be maintained by private companies

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials to hand over the task of maintaining State Highways (SHs) to private agencies for a period of five years.
4000-km Andhra Pradesh highways to be maintained by private companies

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials to hand over the task of maintaining State Highways (SHs) to private agencies for a period of five years.

Out of the total 53,403 km stretch of roads in Andhra Pradesh, SHs are laid in a total extent of 14,722 km. While the length of national highways of is 6,401 km, district roads are on a stretch of 32,280 km.

Out of the 14,722-km SHs, the Chief Minister wants a total stretch of 4,000 km to be handed over to private firms for maintenance on a pilot basis and has asked the officials to prepare plans for handing over the remaining stretch of roads to private agencies for maintenance in a phased manner.

In the next five years, a stretch of 4,000 km SHs will be maintained by private companies under the Long-Term Performance Based Maintenance Contract (LTPBMC). In the year 2018-19, Rs 400 crore will be spent on the project.

Addressing a review meeting at his residence in Undavalli, near here, on Saturday, the Chief Minister asked the R&B officials to ensure that there are no breaches on roads.

"Upgrading roads is a continuous process. With CCTV surveillance coming up in the future, we will be able to conduct more efficient surveys. Based on soil quality, rainfall and traffic, you have to implement appropriate strategies to ensure pothole-free roads. Adopt a scientific approach to the mission,'' the Chief Minister said.'

The Chief Minister said that CCTV cameras must be installed everywhere so that works can be under surveillance and wanted allocation of Rs 250 crore for a long-term commitment to make all State Highways free of potholes.

CM pulls up Soma

When the officials informed that only 65% of the overall works on Kanakadurga Flyover have been completed, the Chief Minister expressed his ire at the representatives of Soma, the contracting agency of the flyover works, and sought to know why they took up the works when they do not have the required capability. Stating that the delay in completion of the flyover works is causing severe hardship to the people, Naidu instructed the contractor, Soma Infrastructure, to avoid further delays.

State Highways numbered

451 State Highways numbered using the procedure adopted for National Highways. All East to West highways allocated odd numbers and all North to South highways allocated even numbers.

CM suggests to officials to stop vehicular traffic on one way of NH 16 to expedite Benz Circle flyover works. One side of the road will be closed from 11 p.m to 6 a.m, allowing vehicles to use two lanes only.

CM directs officials to strive for including Machilipatnam-Eluru and Machilipatnam-Bhimavaram roads in the list of NHs under Bharatmal project

Among the 17,244.8 km of Major District Roads identified, 16,280.3 km have been declared pothole-free

Rural roads have been developed at a cost of Rs 2,103.52 crore since 2014 in the State

R & B Principal Secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad says plans are afoot to upgrade all Non-BT roads in the State as BT roads. This year, at least 570-km road stretch will be taken up for conversion. The total financial commitment required for upgradation of 1,810 km of Non-BT roads is Rs 1,580 crore.

Rs 285.93-crore sanctioned for 21 works for Road Connectivity Project in Left Wing Extremism Area (RCPLWEA)

Andhra Pradesh ranks number three, followed by Orissa and Rajasthan for awarding the most number of projects on National Highways. Almost 500 km have been awarded and sanctioned this year, says NHAI Project Director Anil Dixit.

Quality of the road connecting Vijayawada Airport with Hanuman Junction must be improved before the rainy season, CM tells Dixit

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